I know FIFA wants to grow the game, etc. But if they know the 3rd-best team in Asia (or whatever Thailand is) has the talent level of an American high school all-star team...then let’s build up the talent base first.

Sure, the team could lay off. But point differential is the tiebreaker and could determine whether you get an easier placing in the knockout round bracket.

Plus there’s limited substitutions, so unlike other sports they can only pull out so many of their best players.

They could pass the ball around midfield, sure. But then people complain that they aren’t giving value to the people that paid a lot of money for tickets. Some even argue it shows less respect to the opposition when you basically stop playing in order to avoid a blowout.

FIFA set the table for this to happen.