Spain’s World Cup win leaves FIFA with expansion and rules questions

Spain ended the 2026 FIFA World Cup as champion, beating Argentina in a tournament that Al Jazeera said raised fresh questions for FIFA as much as it celebrated a deserving winner. The expanded 48-team event delivered more matches and new stories, while disputes over politics, player welfare and discipline followed the competition to its close.

Al Jazeera reported that the tournament began under an unusual political shadow because the United States, a co-host and the country staging the final, had been involved with Israel in a war against Iran, one of the competing nations. A ceasefire was agreed on the eve of the World Cup, but Al Jazeera said visa problems affected Iran’s delegation and fans from other countries, while hostilities later resumed after Iran had gone out in the group stage.

Expansion won support

The move to 48 teams was the central football issue before the tournament, according to Al Jazeera, but the larger format produced several of its stronger moments. The report said the gap between elite teams and the rest appeared to have narrowed, and finalists played only one more match than they would have under the 32-team format used from 1998.

Cape Verde were cited by Al Jazeera as one of the tournament’s success stories. The debutants drew with Spain and Uruguay, then pushed Argentina to extra time.

FIFA has said the World Cup is a key revenue source for funding the sport’s growth worldwide, Al Jazeera reported. The next debate is over a possible 64-team tournament in 2030, a format that would use 16 groups and send the top two from each to the last 32 without adding games for the finalists.

Hydration breaks drew boos

Hydration breaks became a point of friction, Al Jazeera said, with fans in stadiums repeatedly booing stoppages that they felt broke the rhythm of matches. The report said critics also questioned whether the pauses were tied to television advertising needs.

Al Jazeera said scientists, coaches and FIFA are expected to support such breaks for summer World Cups because of dangerous heat levels. The report added that domestic leagues, which mostly run in winter, do not have plans to adopt them.

Balogun case put FIFA under pressure

The most contentious disciplinary issue involved United States forward Folarin Balogun, according to Al Jazeera. He was sent off in a 2-0 last-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, but FIFA later suspended his ban for a one-year probationary period.

Al Jazeera reported that FIFA announced the decision after U.S. President Donald Trump urged FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the case. The decision drew criticism from Belgium’s football association, Europe’s top football body, a former FIFA president and several former players, though the backlash faded after Belgium beat the United States 4-1 in the next round.

Final-stage tactics face scrutiny

Al Jazeera said Argentina’s performances in the semifinal and final highlighted concerns over tactical fouling and early heavy challenges that went unpunished. The report argued that FIFA could tell referees to act earlier in major knockout matches, citing Pierluigi Collina’s reputation for setting firm limits in matches during his refereeing career.

The co-hosts left mixed legacies, Al Jazeera reported. Canada reached the last 16 amid growing investment and record crowds; Mexico won a World Cup knockout match for the first time in 40 years, though celebrations were marred by four deaths in crowd crushes; and the United States again exited in the round of 16, performing in line with expectations.

Al Jazeera said the tournament helped build football awareness in the United States, where Major League Soccer continues to grow with Lionel Messi as its biggest name. The report said the U.S. may need a homegrown star to carry the national team close to global glory before the sport fully captures the American audience.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.