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Berti Vogts criticizes expanded World Cup format for harming football

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 11, 2026, 7:55 AM

Last updated Jun 11, 2026

Berti Vogts criticizes expanded World Cup format for harming football
Summary

Former Germany coach Berti Vogts has criticized FIFA's decision to expand the World Cup to 48 teams, stating that it "does football harm". In a Thursday interview with Rheinische Post, Vogts expressed concern that the larger tournament will negatively impact the quality of play and the experience for players. He argued that the focus has shifted to financial incentives rather than maintaining the integrity of the competition. Vogts called for action from the German FA and other top football nations to advocate for a reduction back to a 24-team format. He suggested alternatives for qualification that could maintain competitiveness without diluting the tournament's quality.

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Status Watch
  • •Vogts believes 48 teams harm World Cup quality.
  • •He suggests a return to a 24-team tournament.
  • •The expanded event features 104 matches instead of 64.
  • •His critique comes as the tournament starts in North America.
  • •Vogts proposes new qualifying methods to enhance competition.
Latest Updates
  • 7:55 AMYahoo Sports — Ex-Germany coach Vogts: Expanded World Cup 'does football harm'
What they're saying
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Former Germany defender and coach Berti Vogts has voiced sharp criticism on the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams. "Honestly, such a mammoth tournament does football harm," Vogts told Thursday's Rheinische Post paper.

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