{"product_id":"the-expanded-pitch-how-fifas-48-team-masterplan-traded-footballs-soul-for-global-inclusion-and-billions-9798195779962","title":"The Expanded Pitch: How FIFA's 48-Team Masterplan Traded Football's Soul for Global Inclusion and Billions","description":"\u003cp\u003e • Author(s): Robert Cole\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher: Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher Imprint: Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e • BISAC: Soccer\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHas football's soul been sold to the highest bidder?\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFor generations, the 32-team FIFA World Cup stood as the perfect sporting equilibrium and the undisputed pinnacle of global sports. But suddenly, FIFA shocked the world by expanding the tournament to 48 teams. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003ePitched as a triumph of global inclusion, this new era introduced a bloated 12-group format, a staggering 104 total matches, and a highly controversial Round of 32. \u003ci\u003eThe Expanded Pitch\u003c\/i\u003e is the definitive, explosive investigation into the real reasons behind this historic structural shift. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThis forensic deep-dive exposes the dark side of the 48-team masterplan: \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePolitical Horse-Trading: \u003c\/b\u003e Discover how the promise of inclusion was weaponized to secure executive votes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eFinancial Ruin: \u003c\/b\u003e See how host cities are being strong-armed into crippling infrastructural debt.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eSporting Compromises: \u003c\/b\u003e Learn how the newly minted Round of 32 opens a terrifying frontier for match manipulation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePlayer Burnout: \u003c\/b\u003e Hear the desperate cries of elite managers and athletes pushed past the limits of human endurance.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eEssential reading for die-hard fans and sports business professionals, this book will completely transform how you view the global game. Prepare to uncover the hidden costs of exponential growth and the multi-billion-dollar geopolitical chess match defining modern football.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Independently Published","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47882614079639,"sku":"9798195779962","price":1025.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0666\/3471\/1191\/files\/9798195779962.webp?v=1781096252","url":"https:\/\/atlanticbooks.com\/products\/the-expanded-pitch-how-fifas-48-team-masterplan-traded-footballs-soul-for-global-inclusion-and-billions-9798195779962","provider":"Atlantic Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}