FIFA Okays 48-team for World Cup come 2026, Africa To Get 9 Slots
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While the rest of the world continues to moan about the new format World Cup proposed by new FIFA president Gianni Infantino, lovers of the game on the African continent might just think themselves favoured, after the new format, involving 48 teams, could see the continent allotted four more slots from the five she currently enjoys.
World soccer-governing body (FIFA)’s ruling council, yesterday, in Zurich, unanimously approved an expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams in 2026, with a format of 16 groups of three nations.
The decision marks a major coup for Infantino, who has made enlarging football’s showcase event the centerpiece of his young administration.
The proposal had initially faced criticism from some of the sport’s most powerful voices, including warnings that it would dilute the quality of play and overburden already exhausted players.
But Infantino had, in recent weeks, voiced confidence that his flagship project would be approved.
He insisted that the new changes would help improve football all around the globe as more teams and players would be involved in the world’s biggest football fiesta. Also, Infantino tried to make the financial benefit less important.
Africa and Asia are expected to be the biggest beneficiaries of the new large World Cup format, with a rise in their number of places, currently at five and four, respectively.
In order to gloss over skepticism about World Cup reform within the UEFA, it is likely that Europe would, also, see its allotments rise above the current 13 places.
A source close to FIFA told AFP that under the new format Europe could get 16 places, with Africa earning nine.
But the information remained unconfirmed and world football’s governing body was not expected to immediately announce its final decision on allotments.
The powerful council officially weighed five proposals during Tuesday’s meeting at FIFA’s snow-covered Zurich headquarters, including maintaining the status quo of 32-teams.
The landmark decision to expand the tournament is the latest overhaul of the World Cup, which has seen its global popularity and financial might surge since the inaugural edition in 1930.
The 48 teams will be divided into 16 groups of three teams, with two top teams qualifying for the round of 32 which will serve as the first round.
Speaking after the votes, FIFA president Gianni Infantino stated his belief that the decision to expand the World Cup was a crucial step for football in the 21st century.
The governing body voted unanimously to implement a 48-team format for the competition in 2026, with teams to be divided into 16 groups of three.
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