By Andrew Warshaw
October 31 – Four months after it was taken off the agenda at the FIFA Congress, Gianni Infantino says FIFA is still “discussing” trying to bring about a 48-team World Cup for Qatar in 2022, potentially shared with the tiny Gulf state’s neighbours.
Back in June plans for a feasibility study were put on hold after Infantino said agreement from the Qataris was a “precondition”.
Two months earlier than that, seemingly with Infantino’s blessing, the South American Conmebol confederation proposed that rather than start with 48 teams in 2026, the move from 32 finalists could be brought forward to 2022.
The 2022 finals have already been thrown into unchartered territory by being moved to November because of the heat but far from backtracking on the idea of increasing the tournament to 48 teams, Infantino says FIFA is still looking into the concept – the key being a shared tournament with other nations in the region.
“We have decided to increase the number of teams participating in the World Cup final tournaments from 32 to 48 and this will happen in 2026,” Infantino said in an address to the Asian Football Confederation’s annual congress. “Will it happen in 2022? We are looking at it. If it is possible, why not?”
Infantino said an expanded tournament would see Asia’s allocation rise to 8.5 places from 4.5.
Qatar, awarded the hosting rights in late 2010, has long been planning for a 32-team tournament and Infantino acknowledged that an increase would require the cooperation of other countries in the region.
“We have to see if it (2022) is possible, if it is feasible. We are discussing with our Qatari friends, we are discussing with our many other friends in the region and we hope that this can happen,” he added. “And, if not, we will have tried. We will have tried because we always have to try to do things in a better way.”
Infantino also took the opportunity the bang the drum in front of Asian federations for his pet project of expanding the Club World Cup, a decision on which was postponed last week to next March.
Saying FIFA wanted to make it “a real competition”, he added: “One that every club in the world can target because we have global interest and everyone will benefit, not only from a financial point of view.”
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