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  Every expanded FIFA World Cup in history has always brought new stories and also changes, including in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup . The 2026 FIFA World Cup has completed the draw with 12 groups of four teams. It is the first time in history with 48 qualified sides. The world football governing body has even officially introduced water breaks in each game regardless of the venue, weather or location .  The upcoming World Cup edition in North America is definitely not the first expanded one. In fact, the tournament has gone through four expansions in history. Each of them brought its own changes and new tales, plus even records.  Here are each expanded edition of the FIFA World Cup, not the ones with the new competition format, along with the fun facts in each and every one of them.   Italy 1934 The second edition of the FIFA World Cup was the first expanded one in the tournament's history. It was the first time the qualifier was introduced to ...

  A few FIFA World Cup editions saw several teams from the British Isles qualify in the final round.  The 2026 FIFA World Cup is already around the corner, and all confederations have completed all stages or reached the last stage in the qualifiers. UEFA is getting ready to hold the playoff stage, which will be contested in March next year. These teams will remain unknown in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw, which will be held on December 5.  For the British Isles, the World Cup in North America could be historic, as all five teams from there could be playing in the final round. England and Scotland have secured automatic berths, while Wales , Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland still have the chance to seal the remaining berths via playoff. They are all placed in two different pots.  They will be fighting for the two remaining berths. Wales and Northern Ireland could be squaring off in the playoff final pot 1, provided they could see off Bosnia and...

  Several managers have just made their debut in the continental competition in their managerial career by taking charge of one of the contestants in UCL 2025/26.  UCL 2025/26 has completed its fifth game in the league phase. Several big teams have been in contention to strengthen their positions in the standings, whereas some other sides are not in safe positions, with the playoff stage threat meddling in their congested fixtures next year.  This season, a number of teams, including the elite sides, have opted to hire managers without experience in European competitions. The likes of Tottenham Hotspurs , Ajax Amsterdam, Atalanta and Inter Milan signed for young or well-known managers from the lower level.   Some have been doing quite well so far, but some others have even been dismissed. Here are those managers who make their European debut in the continental top-flight competition directly without even tasting the second or third tier ones and how their ...

  A few players have been fortunate in his career when they emerge to stardom under his father who happens to be the manager of their club. Football runs deep and certainly can run in the family. There have been a number of players who play for the team alongside their brothers or under their father as the team boss.  Not all manage to break into the first team under their fathers. Recently, one of Argentina internationals thrives under his father/manager at the club has been the regular member of Albiceleste squad. He is none but Guiliano Simeone , the son of Atletico Madrid boss, Diego . He owed his recent prominence to his father. He joined Los Rojiblancos initially in the reserve team before spending his loan spells in two Segunda Division sides, Alaves and Real Zaragoza before eventually being promoted to the first team last season. The right winger has been indispensable in Metropolitan with 67 appearances so far, registering eight goals and 14 assists. He e...

  A number of clubs have managed to rule certain decades in South American football history, including the two current Copa Libertadores finalists.  The Copa Libertadores 2025 final has finally seen two teams meeting at the summit. It is yet again the encounter of two Brazilian sides in the final, which is already the fifth in the last seven editions. Palmeiras and Flamengo face off again in the final, which is the repeat of the 2021 edition. At that time, the Sao Paulo-based side managed to thump their local rival 2-1.  Will the result be the same in Abel Ferreira’s favour, or will it be Felipe Luis’s men who lift the trophy this year? The champion will be decided in Estadio Monumental in Lima, Peru, on November29th.  One thing for sure about this year’s final is the clash of two teams which have the potential to rule the decade in the competition. Palmeiras and Flamengo both have won the title twice since the introduction of the single-leg final in 2019, which also...

  A few El Clásico games have been decided by English players in the matches’ history, especially during modern times. El Classico 2025 is set to be held this weekend on Sunday, October 26. This would be the first time ever when two sides have English players in the same season. Both teams have a long history with Englishmen, but they belong to different eras and seasons. In the past, prior to World War II, Barcelona had 10 Englishmen in the squad, with Jack Greenwell as one of the most notable ones, whereas their archrival in the capital only had one name. However, things went the opposite in the modern era. Los Blancos went ahead and became more English-friendly with seven players since the 1980s, while their Catalan counterparts have only had two names ever since. The Englishmen in Madrid were even top names in the era, especially in the 2000s when the superstars David Beckham and Michael Owen joined the Los Galacticos after Laurie Cunningham in the 1980s and Steve ...