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Ghana coach calls expanded World Cup vulgar after Croatia loss

6/29/2026

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Summary

Queiroz Condemns Expansion

Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz called the expanded World Cup ‘vulgar and ordinary’ after his team lost 2-1 to Croatia.
He said the expansion is driven by money talks and reduces the rarity of qualification.
He noted six of South America’s ten teams now qualify automatically, with a seventh via playoff.
Ghana placed third in Group L, advanced as a best third-placed team and will face Colombia in Kansas City on July 4.

Summary

Africa Doubles Spots

Africa's representation doubled from five to ten spots in the 48-team World Cup, the highest continental allocation ever.
Nine African nations qualified automatically and the Democratic Republic of the Congo secured the tenth place via the inter-confederation playoff in late March.
Only Tunisia is eliminated, while eight African sides have reached the round of 32 and Algeria’s final group match against Austria decides the ninth qualifier.

History

Historical Context

In 1998 FIFA enlarged the finals to 32 teams, increasing Africa’s allocation from three to five slots and giving African nations a deeper tournament presence. Subsequent calls by Sepp Blatter (2013) and Gianni Infantino (2016) led FIFA to approve a 48-team tournament for 2026. Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz now denounces the expansion as vulgar, echoing earlier worries that more slots could dilute competition.

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Queiroz Condemns Expansion

Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz called the expanded World Cup ‘vulgar and ordinary’ after his team lost 2-1 to Croatia.
He said the expansion is driven by money talks and reduces the rarity of qualification.
He noted six of South America’s ten teams now qualify automatically, with a seventh via playoff.
Ghana placed third in Group L, advanced as a best third-placed team and will face Colombia in Kansas City on July 4.

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