The jump to 48 teams for the 2026 World Cup is the largest expansion in FIFA history, but it is hardly the first. From the original 13-team invitational in Uruguay in 1930, to the 24-team format introduced in 1982, and the iconic 32-team era that began in France 1998, expansion has continually reshaped global football. We analyze how adding teams historically impacts the tactical meta and the group stage drama.