Analyzing World Cup expansion

I see the user wrote in Chinese about World Cup expansion making it harder for Europe to qualify. It looks like they might want clarification or context around this topic. I think I should mention the historical perspective, discussing how the number of UEFA slots increased from 13 to 16 with the 2026 expansion. Yet, qualification is getting tougher due to factors like the Nations League and the increased number of teams competing. It's an interesting conversation to dive into!Clarifying World Cup allocations

I'm thinking about the 1998 World Cup, which hosted 32 teams, and UEFA had either 14 or 15 spots. France hosted, and Brazil was the defending champion with automatic entry. From what I recall, UEFA had 15 allocations total, including France. In 1998, there were 51 UEFA members, but only 49 were active, which means almost half of the spots went to UEFA (15/32). For the 2026 World Cup, UEFA will have 16, but as a percentage, their share is smaller compared to 1998.Debating UEFA qualifications

The user's statement about qualifying being harder is interesting. With 55 UEFA members and 16 spots, that's a 29.1% chance of qualifying, which is an increase from the previous 23.6% with 13 spots. Plus, back in 1998, it was around 29.4%. For 2026, UEFA will have 12 groups of 4 or 5, with winners qualifying directly, plus playoffs for 4 more spots. It doesn't seem drastically harder. The mention of "Clark" could link to a sports figure but I'm not entirely sure.Analyzing UEFA qualification context

The user might be looking for an analysis or clarification. I should present key facts in Chinese. For instance, in 1998 UEFA had 15 slots out of 32, which is about 47%. By 2026, they’ll have 16 out of 48, reducing their share to around 33%. Although there are more entrants now (55), the absolute number of slots has increased, making it somewhat easier for mid-tier nations. However, the competition has grown due to more nations being involved. Overall, I need to clearly correct and summarize these points!Clarifying UEFA qualification changes

I want to clarify Europe's qualification share throughout the years. In 1998, UEFA had 15 out of 32 spots, about 46.9%. From 2010 to 2022, they maintained 13 out of 32, which is approximately 40.6%. For 2026, they'll have 16 slots out of 48, or about 33.3%. While the number of UEFA members increased from around 49 to 55, the competition depth also shifted. So, the claim that it's “harder” to qualify isn't entirely accurate, given the context. Here's a concise analysis:

• 1998: UEFA 15/32 ≈ 46.9%
• 2010–2022: UEFA 13/32 ≈ 40.6%
• 2026: UEFA 16/48 ≈ 33.3%
• UEFA members: 50 in 1998 to 55 now
• Qualification format: 12 groups, winners qualify, others to playoffs.