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The Conversation
Jesse Whitehead, Senior research fellow, University of Waikato

For countries contesting the FIFA World Cup, size doesn’t always mean goals and glory

World Cup a World Cup Cote DIvoire Football
Rodrigo Oropeza/Getty Images

The planet’s biggest sporting event – the FIFA Men’s World Cup – is now underway, drawing a television audience of billions and a stadium audience of millions.

There’s no shortage of other impressive statistics to illustrate the scale of the tournament’s 23rd edition. A record 48 teams have begun playing 108 matches across 16 venues in three North American countries, competing for a record prize pool of nearly US$900 million.

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