Thursday 8 December 2016 11:56, UK
FIFA chief Gianni Infantino said Asian countries backed his plan to expand the World Cup to 48 teams, adding that up to three countries should be allowed to co-host the tournament.
Infantino told a three-day FIFA summit in Singapore that 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 for approval next month; a 40-team World Cup is also on the table.
Infantino said: "They (the Asian nations) are very supportive on expanding it. Everyone, unanimously.
"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."
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. Every game is meaningful, is important."
While the FIFA chief is bullish about his expansion plans some within the English game are not so convinced, with Arsene Wenger leading the doubters.
He said: "My thoughts on that are is it guided for popular reasons? Or is that guided to improve the level of football? I'm a bit sceptical," he said on Thursday.
"If somebody can convince me that it will make football better and that we can live with the time it will take to complete the World Cup, I am ready to listen. At the moment, I think I am not convinced."
Infantino also said he supported allowing up to three countries to co-host the World Cup, instead of expecting one bidder to provide a dozen stadiums.
Japan and South Korea co-hosted the tournament in 2002 but a World Cup spread across three countries would be unprecedented.
"If a country does need to have 12 stadiums of more than 50,000 spectators but only (has) four, then why shouldn't we allow three countries to join forces, each country four stadiums and have 12 stadiums?" Infantino said.
"That would then fit more in football development strategy and more countries could participate in the dream of hosting at least one part of the World Cup, so I'm very open to it."
