Euros 24 Teams A Flop

I am against expanding major tournaments such as World Cups in Cricket and the Euros in Football to invite more teams. Call me short sighted, or lacking vision or compassion. I am talking purely from a sports viewer’s position. The Euros were better with 16 teams and future Cricket World Cups should have no more than 10 teams.  
 
Plainly and simply I think expanding the amount of teams dumbs down the competition at the highest level. It leads to more unappealing lop-sided games. In cricket’s case in particular it has led to several near meaningless preliminary round games. These "contests" stumble and bumble over a few weeks as the viewer loses interest, waiting for the knockout stages.
 
These tournaments held once every 4 years are meant to be the pinnacle of sporting competition, pitting the best against the best over a short, intense period of competition. Nearly every match should be closely contested, not just the knock out stages. Every preliminary game should have something riding on it.
 
I do get the argument that the developing nations need exposure and need games. I get the argument that the fans of these teams have some amazing memories of seeing their nation play at a major sporting competition. You do get fairy tales like Iceland knocking over England, or Ireland beating Pakistan. However they are far outweighed by dull and one-sided affairs. I think there should be a 1 week pre-tournament where the best of the developing nations, or sides on the fringe, get to battle for 1 or 2 spots in the main draw.
 
Portugal in many respects were fairytale winners of Euro 2016 beating France in extra time in the final. However after finishing 3rd of 4 in their pool without a single win to their name, the Portuguese should have been packing their bags and heading home for some summer sun.