By Paul Nicholson
October 10 – The idea of an enlarged World Cup to 40 teams, or even 48, is gaining momentum with Asian Football Confederation (AFC) chief Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa adding his voice, with some caution, to the debate. But caution or not, Salman said that in any enlarged World Cup the AFC would expect to be a major beneficiary.
The AFC at their conference in Goa rejected by a 42-1 majority vote the meeting agenda whose main purpose was to elect three members to the new FIFA Council. This was in part in protest against FIFA’s very late decision to bar Saoud Al Mohannadi, vice-president of the Qatar Football Association, from standing, but also to send a message to FIFA that the AFC would not be manipulated or threatened by political agendas or misuse of FIFA’s ethics function for a political end.
AFC’s forceful show of unity may have surprised observers but Salman said this must also be viewed in context with their relationship with FIFA.
“We are very pleased with the unity of our members. They have expressed themselves well in a democratic way. They have shown Asia is united. But that doesn’t mean we are against the FIFA. We have been working hand in hand with FIFA and we will continue to do that,” said Salman.
Speaking in Oman on his way to Zurich for FIFA Council meetings later this week, he continued: “The proposal was to expand the World Cup to 40 teams. But now we read that there is a new proposal (from FIFA president Gianni Infantono) for an even bigger World Cup with 48 teams.
“Whatever be the number, an expanded World Cup will be good for Asia. The continent deserves and will get more qualifying berths if the tournament is expanded,” he said.
“Of course, there won’t be any changes in the number of teams and the format of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups (in Russia and Qatar respectively). The expansion plans may come in future tournaments, in which case the AFC will surely work to get the number of slots the continent deserves.”
The FIFA Council meetings this week will be missing three AFC Council members following the 27-minute Goa Congress that didn’t make it to the point of electing representatives to the Council. That is unlikely to have any impact on World Cup decisions as these are early days in the consultancy process, assuming that FIFA is going to conduct one rather than railroad through another decision which is becoming the hallmark of the early days of this FIFA presidency.
The AFC currently has 4.5 World Cup slots and any increase in World Cup final places to 40 would likely see a minimum increase to six spots for the AFC. As it is easily the most populous of the confederations a strong argument could be made for more representation than just six guaranteed placed. An increase to 48 teams would likely add a minimum two more spots.
Before that expanded World Cup point is reached Salman emphasised that Asia needed to raise its level of international performance.
“The major challenge is to raise the level of our football… to be on par with those in Europe, South America and Africa,” he said. “To achieve that goal we need to focus on grassroots and coaches development.”
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