The new World Cup format delays the excitement.

Only ten days remain until the launch of the first edition of the World Cup in its new format; it will feature the participation of 48 teams instead of 32, distributed across 12 groups.

In the new system, 32 teams will qualify for the knockout stage, including the group winners and runners-up, as well as the best 8 teams that finish in third place, thus completing the list of qualifiers for the newly introduced round of 32, which was added due to the increase in the number of qualifiers.

Although the new format has provided an opportunity for some teams to qualify, it has simultaneously postponed the excitement and thrill of the World Cup until the knockout stages, as the qualification of third-placed teams has doubled the chances of some teams qualifying comfortably, away from any surprises.

Morocco is also considered one of the teams expected to comfortably advance beyond the group stage; on paper, the national team has ample chances to qualify from a third group that includes Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti.

For the Moroccan football community, the achievement is no longer limited to qualifying for the knockout stages, especially since the "Lions" have succeeded in doing so since the 1986 Mexico World Cup, but surpassing the group stage has become a usual and expected matter for Moroccan fans.

Following the historic achievement of the "Atlas Lions" reaching the semifinals of the World Cup in Qatar 2022, the expectations have risen higher than ever, with some Moroccan fans believing that winning the world title has become a legitimate dream, especially with the outstanding performances of Moroccan professionals with major global teams.

Unlike the Moroccan team, the new system presents an opportunity for many teams, especially Arab ones, to continue their World Cup journey into the knockout stages, allowing many fans to see their teams for the first time in the advanced rounds after numerous participations.

Although the new system will delay competitiveness and rivalry until the knockout stages, it will, on the other hand, give smaller and medium-sized teams the chance to create surprises against larger teams, especially since the knockout matches will provide equal opportunities for the competing teams, and thus it is expected that the simplest details will determine the fate of the teams that will continue their journey in the tournament to the furthest extent, and those that will exit the event from the early rounds.