European football associations have expressed anger over what they perceive as an unfair World Cup qualifying system, particularly the advantage given to home teams in high-stakes play-offs. With the 2026 World Cup expanding to 48 teams, Uefa has been allocated only 16 places, up from 13, a figure many European officials consider insufficient.
The debate has intensified after eight of the 12 European play-off matches over the past week were won by the home side. Senior officials have described the current setup as 'extremely unfair' and are calling for neutral venues to be used in future play-offs. However, Uefa is unlikely to revert to two-legged ties due to calendar constraints.
European associations argue that the continent's representation does not reflect its strength, pointing out that Europe has only 16 of 55 member nations in the tournament, while South America qualifies six of its 10 teams. Others counter that this is a correction of historical over-representation and necessary for global development.
Political factors also play a role, as Asia and Africa now form the voter base for Fifa president Gianni Infantino, who lacks strong support in Europe. This makes it unlikely that Uefa will secure more places in the near future. Meanwhile, Uefa continues discussions on qualifying formats for future European Championships, with the 2028 structure to be confirmed in May.
