FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said that he hopes the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be expanded to 48 teams, saying such an expansion is “possible” and “feasible.”
His positive remarks put some pressure on Qatar, whose tournament organizers said they are examining the feasibility of enlarging the tournament and will provide a response early next year.
“We have decided… to increase the number of teams participating in the World Cup final tournaments from 32 to 48. It will happen in 2026.
Will it happen in 2022? You know me. It is possible. It is possible. Why not?” he added.
Infantino told the AFC national football associations that expanding the tournament would see the number of Asian countries’ teams competing in the World Cup rise from 4.5 in a 32 nation tournament, to 8.5.