Asia backs 48-team World Cup: Fifa boss
Published on: Friday, December 09, 2016
SINGAPORE: Fifa chief Gianni Infantino on Thursday said Asian countries backed his plan to expand the World Cup to 48 teams—and added that up to three countries should be allowed to co-host the tournament.Infantino, speaking after a three-day Fifa summit in Singapore, said Asian football associations "unanimously" supported a larger World Cup, with a "big majority" favouring 48 teams.Infantino's proposal for a 48-team World Cup in 2026, featuring 16 groups of three, will be submitted to the Fifa Council next month. A 40-team World Cup is also on the table. "They are very supportive on expanding it.
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Everyone, unanimously," Infantino told reporters."All of them were in favour of an increase and a big, big, big majority were in favour of the 48 teams with the 16 groups of three," he added. The Fifa Council will vote in Zurich on January 9-10 whether to maintain the current World Cup format of 32 teams, or extend it to 40 or 48. Under the 16-group format, every qualified team would play at least two games and the top two in each group would then go through to the last 32. "I like 40 (and) I like 48 with the play-offs because it brings excitement before the group stage," Infantino said."But the 16 groups of three means that every game is important. There is no dead rubber.
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The Asian confederation is the world's second biggest with 46 full members. – AFP
