“The ghost of Gijon scandal returns”. Has FIFA relived the World Cup’s worst nightmares?

Throughout its history, the World Cup has been synonymous with immense pressure, where one failure can end a four-year dream and each goal can topple an entire group in just a few minutes. That is why the last round of the group stage has always been associated with excitement, drama and complex calculations that are resolved only at the final whistle.

But the current draw of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being held for the first time with the participation of 48 teams, revealed another aspect that was not so obvious in previous editions. Every match is no longer a life-and-death battle, and a draw is no longer a result that everyone fears, but it sometimes turns into an ideal goal for both teams together.

As the group stage drew to a close, scenarios began to repeat themselves that raised many questions about the new system, after some teams went into matches knowing in advance that one point would be enough for either side, and that attacking might be an unnecessary risk, while defending and passing the ball might become the most logical option.

These scenes brought to the fore the question that accompanied FIFA’s announcement years ago to expand the tournament.