More games and more controversy - has World Cup been a success?

More games and more controversy - has World Cup been a success?Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Argentina and Spain will contest the World Cup final at the New York/New Jersey Stadium on SundayByDale JohnsonFootball issues correspondentPublished2 minutes agoCommentsFifa president Gianni Infantino promised the 2026 World Cup would be the "biggest event in the history of mankind".Infantino likened the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada to 104 Super Bowls in one month.It was a bold claim, so did it pan out like that?For the first time, the World Cup featured 48 teams, with Curacao, Cape Verde, Jordan and Uzbekistan making their debuts. But did this dilute the quality of the tournament?Then there is the mandatory, three-minute hydration breaks, regardless of conditions, which enabled broadcasters to cash in with commercials.High ticket prices brought great controversy, but did they keep fans away?The politicisation of the World Cup began before the tournament with visa issues and Iran's participation, then US President Donald Trump intervened to get Florian Balogun's red card overturned. Pierlugi Collina, Fifa's head of referees, waged war on time-wasting and pushed through a raft of law changes. But did this make a real difference?This is the story of the World Cup.Was the World Cup expansion really worth it?Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Cape Verde's qualification for the knockout rounds vindicated Gianni Infantino's decision to expand the tournament to 48 teamsIf you wanted great storylines and colour, then the group stage was a success.Watching debutants is always part of the allure of a World Cup, and Cape Verde brought it in spades.A tiny archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean with just 530,000 people, Cape Verde claimed incredible draws against Spain and Uruguay (and Saudi Arabia too) to finish second.Curacao shrugged off their 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Germany to claim a shock point against Ecua...