Infantino frustrated, FIFA World Cup remains at 32

A big move that will be delayed for a couple of years. FIFA president Gianni Infantino gave up the idea of a football World Cup at 48 teams this week for the 2022 edition in Qatar due to organization and geopolitics issues. The project was not totally put in the trash still, since the World Cup 2026 will actually gather 48 nations. In 2026, there will be enough space, what is lacking in Qatar, between the United States, Canada and Mexico, the three host countries in seven years’ time.

Infantino, quite determined to enforce this new version of a World Cup, crashed into the tense situation in Middle East, where Qatar sustains complicated relations with its neighbors. Being convinced that Kuwait or Oman would be able to hold a few games, the FIFA finally learnt to live with it and postponed the concept. Africa, 54 countries and confined to 5 places only in this competition, will have to wait. But is a World Cup at 48 really a good idea for both “small” nations and the fans?

The question deserves to be raised since Infantino did not set up this project with the unique desire to satisfy more and more countries. The economic reason was dominant (more games more ads more money…More problems Biggie Smalls would say) but possibly to the detriment of people watching those games and looking for intensity, spectacle, suspense and quality. I have nothing against small countries of football, but what will be the interest to watch a China-Burundi or a Vietnam-Estonia? Even the so-called small countries may be hit in the wrong way, if they look ridiculous or too weak for instance. What image will they give to their people, to the entire world if they do not have the weapons to struggle in a World Cup? 

See you in seven years to get a first idea, but for now, we are still at 32, and it is not a bad thing…Except for sharing out places depending on the continent.

By Guillaume Mahot

Sources: www.lci.fr

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