Infiniti recipe to save Qatar: Gulf Cup shared by 48 teams

Dubai – The World Football Federation (FIFA) is studying the possibility of increasing the number of teams participating in the World Cup and the participation of the Gulf countries in the organization, in a proposal announced Wednesday by the President of the federation, Gianni Infantino, and seemed a recipe to save the world's biggest sporting event, Under the pressure of time, which, despite its huge logistical preparations, has not yet proven its ability to qualify for the final phase of 2022 and bring practical solutions to a number of organizational dilemmas.

Previously, FIFA had to change the date of the next World Cup so that it starts in November instead of June because of the heat prevailing in the Gulf region. Qatar is already committed to providing technical solutions to the problem of heat. Another problem arises, of a political nature this time. Boycotted three Gulf states – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain – as well as Egypt and Qatar because of its recent policy and described as a threat to stability in the region, including links with militant and terrorist groups and material and media support.

Qatar has not put an end to the boycott that began in June 2017, despite the mediation that it has used and its public relations campaign, which has been hard hit by the insistence of the four countries for Doha to change its policy.

Doha has often downplayed the boycott's influence and tried to rule out the possibility that the boycott of its neighbors would affect its ability to host the World Cup, focusing on building the infrastructure and sports facilities related to the big sporting event. but experts and specialists, International sports officials pointed out that Doha had to answer big questions, some of which concerned, for example, the mass movement, including football fans from the Gulf region in Qatar and the how they were housed in the province.

Last November, Qatar unveiled the name of Iran as a possible solution to the dilemma of organizing the next World Cup by offering the opportunity to form a number of teams participating in the final phase on the ground Iranian. But it seemed closer to a test balloon, a provocative Qatari message addressed to the Gulf countries and to a number of international powers opposed to Iranian politics, which should categorically refuse to give in Tehran such a "prize" which would serve as a positive propaganda for his own interests and help him whiten the pages of his regime.

Iran is also subject to stiff sanctions from the United States, which Washington wants to urge all countries to enforce, and will not be easy to participate in organizing a World Cup size event without to violate these sanctions, especially in the form of remittances sent inside Iran as part of the financing necessary for the needs of the creation and transfer of sports teams.

At a sports conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Infantino said he plans to increase the number of teams participating in the World Cup from its next edition in Qatar in 2022.

Gulf Countries Provide Perfect Infrastructure and Technology Capabilities for Continued Implementation of FIFA Plan

According to sports sources, the increase in the number of teams is a key goal of the reforms that Infantino and his team wish to integrate into the world of football and that the Swiss President of FIFA is keen to implement this increase at the next World Cup so that we do not have to wait another four years. During which.

"We will try to think about increasing the number of teams participating in the World Cup from the next version to become 48 teams instead of 32," said Infanto. FIFA is also considering the possibility of the Gulf countries helping Qatar organize several matches. "

"I know that there are tensions in this region and that the political leaders have to manage them," said the FIFA president, referring to the boycott of Qatar by the four countries.

While senior FIFA officials are keenly aware of the differences between Qatar and its group of boycotted countries, they can bet on Gulf pragmatism and their ability to divide and separate problems, meaning that Gulf country in Doha is in their interest, even if they are boycotted. Divergences within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) group were not resolved without the meeting of the six countries in December under the dome of the Gulf of Riyad summit.

On the practical side, a number of Gulf countries offer ideal solutions ready to implement FIFA's plan to increase the number of teams participating in the World Cup, because of the stability of its unique security and the sustainability of its infrastructure, including sports and sports facilities, as well as the most advanced technologies in the field of communications and transport. TV.

The UAE has successfully hosted the FIFA Club World Cup in a world class edition of the Asian Cup with 24 teams for the first time in the history of the competition.