By Paul Nicholson
February 21 – The prospect of a 48-team World Cup is opening up new frontiers and finding new friends for FIFA President Gianni Infantino who was in Myanmar last week meeting ASEAN members (a sub-region of the Asian Football Confederation) encouraging them to consider how they could participate in the expanded format.
“I support co-hosting, which opens of course the doors to many associations, and ASEAN is a region which is passionate about football,” Infantino told reporters.
“For a country alone in the ASEAN region it’s difficult to host the World Cup, but for several countries why not?”
Infantino last week suggested that as many as four countries could co-host the World Cup but he now seems to be suggesting going a step further with a model close to UEFA’s 2020 Euro hosting that will see the 24 team championships played in 13 host cities.
The message was not lost on the 10-member Southeast Asian bloc who immediately discussed launching a joint bid for the 2034 event at their Council meeting.
“Today, this morning, we had a council meeting (about when) we’re going to host the World Cup in ASEAN,” said Myanmar Football Federation chairman Zaw Zaw at the opening iof a new football academy in Yangon that was also attended by Infantino. “We were discussing 2034.”
While the concept of taking the world cup to football’s less known playing nations has a certain romanticism, the 48-team World Cup has become the biggest political football ever to be kicked around the world of football federations and their presidents. They will need to fully understand what they have to give up to play in this game, and if they can do so meaningfully and as equal partners.
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