DOHA • A "majority" of football federations support increasing the number of teams playing at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar from 32 to 48, Fifa president Gianni Infantino said in Doha on Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference after a three-day Fifa summit, which was attended by more than 70 federations, he revealed that the plan enjoyed widespread backing from different associations, but admitted there were doubts about its "feasibility".
"We will see," Infantino said. "So far, of course the majority is in favour because 16 more teams can participate, not only means 16 more countries with World Cup fever, but also 50 or 60 more countries being able to dream."
A decision will be made in March at Fifa's next council meeting, after a feasibility study is completed.
The world football governing body has backed a 48-team tournament to become the norm from 2026, when the World Cup takes place in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
But, with the 2022 host "open" to the idea of a 48-team tournament, Infantino is considering implementing the changes earlier.
He said: "Of course, the first partner with whom we are speaking to is the Qataris, the Qatar federation, the Qatari authorities."
However, any decision to extend the showpiece event would be beset by logistical and political problems.
The first World Cup to be held in the Middle East will take place over 28 days, not the usual 32 and, according to Infantino, the length of the tournament is set in stone.
Since the number of days cannot be changed, one option would be to host games across the region.
Yet that possibility seems remote as Qatar is at the centre of the worst diplomatic crisis to hit the Persian Gulf in years.
Since June last year, the country has been politically and economically isolated by its neighbours, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
They have accused Qatar of supporting terrorism and being too close to Iran.
Doha has denied the charges, claiming its former allies are seeking to instigate a regime change and Infantino is well aware the embargo could prove problematic.
"Of course I am not that naive, not to know, not to read the news about what is going on. But we are in football, we are not in politics," he added.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Singapore Premier League side Hougang United have been forced to terminate the contract of their Brazilian striker Rafael Ramazotti after the Ramazotti, meanwhile, has been unveiled on Tuesday as a new player of FC Juarez, a Mexican club that plays in the second tier of the Mexican football
Rafael Ramazotti de Quadros - Wikipedia
Socceroos bounce back to knock Palestine out. Apostolos Giannou (right) rising to nod in Australia's third goal in the Socceroos' 3-0 Asian Cup Group B win over Palestine yesterday.
Socceroos bounce back at the Asian Cup with Palestine win
The 17th Asian Cup finals will be the biggest in the 62-year history of the tournament but even with 24 teams battling it out, it is hard to look much beyond regional powers Iran, Japan and South
Usual suspects in the frame at expanded Asian Cup
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 08, 2019, with the headline 'More racial abuse cases heighten calls for action'. Print Edition | Subscribe Topics:
More racial abuse cases heighten calls for action
FA Cup London, Jan. 5, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Manchester United's Ole Gunnar Solskjaer enjoyed his fifth successive victory since being named interim manager as his much-changed side beat second-tier strugglers Reading 2-0 at home in the FA Cup. Saturday's victory was in the third round of the
FA Cup Roundup: Manchester United, Chelsea through to next
Jan 22, 2019 · Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo was fined €18.8 million ($21.6 million) for tax fraud on Tuesday, Reuters reports. Specifically, prosecutors said, he dodged taxes in Spain between 2010
Ronaldo agrees to pay €19m fine to settle tax fraud case
Liverpool will spend Christmas on top of the Premier League after goals from Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk earned them a 2-0 win at Wolves on Friday, opening up a four-point lead over second
Liverpool seal Christmas top spot as Salah and Van Dijk sink
AC Milan is just the latest in a long line of European football clubs to be taken over by Chinese investors. Under football fan president Xi Jinping, China has ambitions of hosting the World Cup and the country's top companies and richest entrepreneurs have rushed to pick up stakes in foreign clubs and buy foreign players for huge wages.
Di Maria dramatically better - Blanc | FourFourTwo
Brendan Rodgers took a step closer to a return to the Premier League on Tuesday when Celtic chiefs said they had allowed him to talk to Leicester City who on Sunday fired manager Claude Puel. He has rebuilt his reputation in Scotland by leading Celtic to a back-to-back sweep of all three domestic
Leicester identify Rodgers as Puel replacement - thesun.co.uk
Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha has been given a one-match ban by the Football Association for improper conduct after sarcastically applauding referee Andre Marriner. Zaha was punished following
Palace's Zaha banned for referee sarcastic clap - Breitbart
Lucas Moura, from PSG cast-off to Tottenham idol AFP May 8, 2019, 11:03 PM UTC "Super-hero": Lucas stole the show as Tottenham pulled off a miraculous comeback to beat Ajax
Lucas Moura: From PSG cast-off to Tottenham idol - Daily Nation
PARIS (AFP) - Rangers crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday (Dec 13) after falling 1-0 at Rapid Vienna, while crowd trouble sparked by Eintracht Frankfurt fans marred the German side's win
Rangers out of Europa League, Eintracht fans run riot at Lazio
Liverpool staying positive despite blip, says Klopp - Daily
Gareth Bale has been named as a substitute for Real Madrid's Champions League last-16 second leg against Ajax on Tuesday. The Welshman's future at the Santiago Bernabeu has been the subject of intense scrutiny in recent weeks, reaching a crescendo in Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Barcelona.
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen