FIFA President: “World Cup expansion possible for 2022”

Baku. 31 October. REPORT.AZ/ FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday (Oct 31) that football's governing body is looking into the possibility of increasing the number of teams at the 2022 World Cup and sharing the hosting rights of an expanded tournament with other nations in the region, Report informs.

"We have decided to increase the number of teams participating in the World Cup final tournaments from 32 to 48 and this will happen in 2026," Infantino said in an address to the Asian Football Confederation's annual congress.

"Will it happen in 2022? We are looking at it. If it is possible, why not?"

"We have to see if it is possible, if it is feasible. We are discussing with our Qatari friends, we are discussing with our many other friends in the region and we hope that this can happen," he added.

Notably, the world championship involving 32 teams has been held in the current format since 1998.