FIFA president was making proposals to expand the tournament from 32 to 48 groups (Credits: Skysports)

2022 Qatar World Cup : FIFA disagree to expand the game from 32 to 48 teams

Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, was making proposals to expand the tournament from 32 to 48 groups, yet the sport’s world ruling body decided to decline the plans.  

FIFA had been investigating if the tournament expanding from 32 to 48 teams, they would have needed at least one more country being used in the Persian Gulf to hold another 16 matches in the region. 

According to FIFA internal report in March, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia cannot take part in 2020 World Cup as co-hosts because of their bad relations with Qatar from two years ago.  

Since mid-2017 Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have enforced political and trade sanctions on the Middle East Nations, indicting it of terrorism. They have to restore their bilateral with Qatar to meet the requirements for joining 2020 Qatar World Cup. 

FIFA and Qatar also have conducted further investigation, said that because of the advanced stage of preparations and the need for a detailed assessment of the potential logistical impact on the host country, more time would be needed and a decision could not be made before the deadline of June.

Qatar will be the second Asian World Cup host after South Korea – Japan in 2002 and the first Arab country to hold the biggest soccer tournament in the world. The 2022 Qatar World Cup will run from 21 November – 18 December 2022.