FIFA could extend the World Cup to 48 teams in 2022, ahead of schedule

MOSCOW – FIFA is ready to increase by 50% in 2022 the number of teams participating in the 19459009 World Cup, four years earlier than planned, announced Friday the President.

The organization will continue to discuss the matter with the host country, Qatar, and decide "quietly and quietly" to move the tournament to 48 out of 32 teams, said FIFA President Gianni Infantino . Stade, two days before the final between France and Croatia, Infantino seemed bullish on the idea, saying: "The quality is certainly there … There is nothing more powerful than to participate in an event like the World Cup to boost football in a country. "

[With World Cup run, Croatia adds to sports glory that would make far bigger nations boast]

Infantino also confirmed that the 2022 tournament will start on November 21st, the final being played on December 18th.

FIFA had already approved the expansion of the tournament of 2026, which will be shared by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The growth of the field in 2022 is problematic, however, because Qatar is such a small nation. Qatari organizers have expressed concern over the organization of a larger tournament. The country is building or renovating a number of stadiums. A 48-team World Cup would add 16 games to the schedule, to 80 from 64.

Supporters of a larger event point to the addition of teams that otherwise would not have been able to qualify in a smaller field. This year, for example, the Netherlands, Italy, Chile, Ghana, Cameroon, Ireland and the United States have not done so. The opponents see a competition watered down with many teams poorly adapted to the world stage.

Even with 48 teams, less than 25% of FIFA-eligible countries will participate, said Infantino.

"It's still a reasonable number Infantino has not directly answered a question about how he reconciles his close relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the political and rights issues of the country. 39, man who weighs on the host country.

"Football can not solve all the problems of the world," said Mr. Infantino. "Football can not change the past. But football can have an impact in the future. Maybe some people who make important decisions for our planet could take advice or at least look at what we are trying to do in football and maybe take inspiration or at least try to solve those problems. We must expect to learn from what has happened without denying what has happened.

FIFA worked closely with the Russian government and the local organizing committee to organize an event that received enthusiastic criticism from the participants.

"There are a lot of injustices in the world," said Infantino. "There are many things that we are not happy in the world, not in a country, not in a region, not in a region, but in the whole world." We must try to work and talk and change for the good whenever we can.But at the World Cup we focus on football, we focus on the celebration of football.

"One of the things we miss in the world, more and more , is the ability to talk to each other, to have a dialogue. This is the basis for solving some of these problems. If there is no dialogue, no discussion or even no understanding or a little respect, we can not go anywhere. If football and the World Cup can help open channels, open discussions, help those who make decisions for the world to start talking to each other and realize that people are living in worse conditions, we have something "

[Opinion: The real World Cup loser will be the Russian people]

After further examination

The badistant video badistant system, introduced for the first time in the World Cup, was" extremely clear and extremely positive, "said Infantino." It is accepted. It works. It works well. "It makes football clearer, more transparent."

Through the semifinals, according to FIFA, 140 games were controlled by VAR, 19 were officially revised and 16 decisions changed "from a bad decision to a good decision." ] VAR has improved the accuracy of arbitration from 95% to 99.32%, said Infantino. However, VAR is only used to revise goals, shots on goal, red cards and false identities.

Infantino said VAR helped keep players honest because cameras see almost everything. Red cards for violent driving have decreased considerably, in large part, he said, because someone still looks. VAR has also put an end to disputes about offside goals. "It's over," said Infantino

"Today, it's hard to think of the World Cup without VAR," he said. "The competition was fairer."

Security Matters

FIFA will consider whether further efforts are needed to "protect the health of players" as a result of multiple incidents in which players were injured in the head. "Concussions are a very serious matter that we take very seriously," he said. "That's why we have an evaluation and recommendations and expert advice." Can we do more? Of course. "

After a collision with the Belgian Eden Hazard in the semifinals, Frenchman Blaise Matuidi underwent a brief evaluation and was helped in the field. He returned a few moments later but only lasted one minute and fell to the ground, needing help and replacement.

Following this, Matuidi was not diagnosed with a concussion that, according to FIFA guidelines, would have dismissed him for at least six days. In the group stage, the Moroccan Nordin Amrabat was hospitalized and suffered memory loss after a headclash against Iran, but he played five days later against Portugal.

"This is yet another alarming example of a player put in danger," said FifPro, the global syndicate of players, at the time. "Amrabat has returned to action too early by medical guidelines." Four years after the debacle of the last World Cup, where several players have not received proper care, football has not not enough progress in managing concussions Repeated calls to apply world-clbad safety standards have been ignored. "

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