For the good of the game,” is Fifa’s slogan. But the global football authority’s decision to expand the World Cup to 48 teams in 2026 is bad for the game. In fact, it is a perfect example of Fifa’s interest clashing with that of neutral fans. Fifa will make more money and Gianni Infantino, its president, can expect grateful Asian and African federations to re-elect him in 2019. But even most Asian and African fans will suffer as football’s premier tournament slides into tedious mediocrity as a result of this decision.
“為了足球運動會更好”是國際足聯(Fifa)的口號，但這個全球足球主管機構做出的從2026年起將世界杯參賽球隊數量擴大至48支的決定卻對足球比賽不利。實際上，這是國際足聯利益與中立球迷利益發生沖突的典型例子。國際足聯將會賺更多的錢，而該機構主席詹尼?因凡蒂諾(Gianni Infantino)可以期望感恩戴德的亞洲和非洲足聯在2019年投票支持他連任。但即便是亞洲和非洲的廣大球迷也將會倍感失望，精彩的足球盛事因為這個決定而淪落為平庸球隊之間單調乏味的比賽。