贝利在 2014 年巴西世界杯前夕曾批评现代足球已不再关注“美丽游戏”和优雅性 [1]。这一观点反映了随着赛事商业化加剧，战术纪律和体能逐渐取代了个人才华与观赏性的趋势 [1]。这种商业化的进程始于 1974 年若昂·哈维兰格当选国际足联主席之时，当时阿迪达斯和可口可乐成为合作伙伴，标志着足球进入新的时代 [1]。
与此同时，高昂的票价将普通球迷拒之门外。自 1990 年以来，英格兰顶级联赛的门票价格已上涨 800% [1]。2026 年世界杯的门票定价范围从 60 美元至超过 10,000 美元不等，这一策略帮助国际足联产生了近 90 亿美元的收入 [1]。数据显示，从 2022 年到 2026 年，一类决赛门票价格经通胀调整后上涨了 600%，具体数值从 1,833.91 美元升至 10,990 美元 [1]。
尽管商业化带来了争议，但扩军至 48 支球队为小国球队提供了展示舞台的积极意义 [1]。在即将到来的赛事中，佛得角队将首次进入淘汰赛阶段，并在加时赛中以 2-3 惜败于卫冕冠军阿根廷队 [1]。
Pelé criticized modern football for losing its elegance and focus on the "beautiful game" prior to the 2014 World Cup [1]. This shift is attributed to the intensification of commercialization, where tactical discipline and physical fitness have replaced individual talent and entertainment value in the sport's evolution [1]. The era of this commercial expansion began with João Havelange's election as FIFA president in 1974, a period marked by partnerships between Adidas and Coca-Cola that transformed football into a business entity [1].
Ticket prices for major tournaments have surged significantly over recent decades. In the English top flight alone, ticket costs rose by 800% since 1990 [1]. For the upcoming tournament in North America, tickets are priced anywhere from $60 to more than $10,000, a pricing strategy that is projected to generate nearly $9 billion for FIFA [1]. Specifically, prices for Category One World Cup final matches increased by 600% between 2022 and 2026; after adjusting for inflation, the cost jumped from $1,833.91 in 2022 to $10,990 [1]. These rising costs have effectively excluded ordinary fans from attending matches they once could afford [1].
Despite these commercial challenges and stylistic criticisms, the expansion of the tournament offers new opportunities for smaller nations. Cape Verde made its debut at a World Cup knockout stage in 2026, eventually losing to defending champions Argentina in extra time with a score of 3-2 [1].