The 2026 World Cup will be the first edition of the expanded tournament, featuring 48 teams instead of the traditional 32. The new format has drawn criticism from international fans, with some citing that it will feature more teams that are less competitive, diluting group play.
Some soccer fans at Woodside are particularly upset about the new format because of its implications for Levi’s Stadium, which will host five group-stage games. These games will be Qatar vs Switzerland, Austria vs Jordan, Jordan vs Algeria and Paraguay vs Australia, with one more match yet to be determined. The current men’s world rankings for soccer have Switzerland as the highest-ranked team playing at Levi Stadium at 18th, while Jordan ranks last out of the Levi Stadium teams at 64th. Past World Cups have been characterized by challenging, intimidating group play, as 32 of the world’s best teams are divided into eight groups. However, this sense of excitement for the group stage is notably missing leading up to the 2026 World Cup for some fans.
“I don’t really like [the new format] because I think it ruins the competition a little bit,” Junior Theo Pfenning said. “The best team [in the group] just goes through without having a lot of trouble.”
Many Bay Area natives, such as Pfenning, were initially excited to hear that Levi Stadium would host World Cup games in 2026. However, as prices have risen and the matches have been determined for Levi Stadium, excitement among fans has fallen.
“I was excited at first, but then I saw the prices, and the teams that are playing at Levi’s aren’t any that I support,” Pfenning said. “I’m not that excited anymore.”
Junior Kaeyur Narayan is another fan who feels a sense of letdown due to the Levi Stadium situation.
“It’s bad enough that the United States treats football, or soccer, the way that they do, where [Americans] aren’t as passionate as Europeans,” Narayan said. “And then you pair that with a bunch of people who are passionate that can’t go because of the prices, you’re looking at a game with basically no atmosphere.”
While the new World Cup format has sparked controversy regarding the group stage, fans are still looking forward to seeing the World Cup coming to North America.
“[The World Cup] will be more entertaining [than the previous format] for sure, especially after the group stage,” Narayan said. “Oh my God, it’s going to be entertaining.”
