The crisis in the Gulf could be prolonged Kuwait and Oman … What happened?

Qatar's 2022 World Cup is still the most important and perhaps the most dangerous sporting event of its history, especially given the persistent Gulf crisis in this strategic and small Qatar region. .

The risk of stakes is high, the proposal of FIFA to increase the number of teams participating in the tournament to 48 instead of 32, which requires the participation of several countries in the organization of the World Cup alongside Qatar.

FIFA's proposal for Kuwait and Oman, the two most likely to date, has already warned that FIFA's proposal could exacerbate the Gulf crisis in the region.

"The result of such an approach could be counterproductive, deepen the regional division and expose Kuwait and Oman, as well as Qatar, to additional pressures from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. , who broke off relations with Doha since the beginning, "said analysts quoted by AFP. June 2017 ".

"There is a very real risk of extending the World Cup to Kuwait and Oman, which could make both countries vulnerable to the same regional pressure as Qatar since 2017, especially since Kuwait and Oman have adopted a particular approach, "said Christian Olrichsen, a researcher at Rice University. In regional relations ".

"The idea of ​​a regional tournament involving Kuwait and Oman without Saudi Arabia and the UAE is likely to cause great bitterness in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi," he said.

"Kuwait and Oman both have problems with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates," said Andreas Craig, defense researcher of King's College in London, who was previously adviser to the Qatari Government.

"The Gulf conflict will be exacerbated by the organization of the World Cup in three countries," Craig said. "The organization of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar with the participation of Kuwait and Oman will reinforce the feeling of dividing the Gulf into two competing blocks with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain on the other side. "

"From a political point of view, it does not make sense."

Following a meeting in Miami last week, FIFA has recommended increasing the number of teams participating in the 2022 World Cup from 32 to 48.

The final decision will, however, be taken at the Viva meeting in Paris next June, after the EU and Qatar have established a list of potential host countries. FIFA has repeatedly confirmed that the increase in the number of teams could not take place without the consent of the host country, Qatar.