The 2026 FIFA World Cup was supposed to be a celebration of expansion. Forty-eight teams, three host nations, and the promise that more participants would mean more drama. On that last point, the tournament has delivered, just not in the way traditional powerhouses expected.

The group stage carnage

Uruguay, Germany, and Belgium, three teams with a combined five World Cup titles, all failed to advance past the group stage. For Belgium, the golden generation has officially tarnished.

Uruguay’s elimination stings differently. A two-time champion with a proud knockout-stage pedigree, La Celeste couldn’t find the consistency needed in a format that punishes even a single poor result across three matches.

Cape Verde,…