Fifa’s decision to expand the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams has been criticised by Panini sticker collectors’ rights groups.

Football’s governing body voted unanimously in favour of the change, which will add an exciting new range of minnows for England to get knocked out by.

However, not everyone is happy – campaigners for the protection of commemorative sticker album enthusiasts have come down hard on the proposed new format, pointing out that thousands of people face financial oblivion.

They said: “A lot of the people we’ve spoken to feel confused and hurt.

“Many will have to sell off their completed sticker albums from previous tournaments in order to finance the collecting new ones, an ultimately self-defeating measure since they’d no longer be true completists.

“Never mind watching England go out to Uzbekistan, imagine having to flog your USA ’94 album to some ungrateful kid in Bratislava who’s never even heard of Tony Cascarino.

“It just doesn’t bear thinking about.”