World Cup set to expand to 40 teams

Fifa will continue to consider the expansion of the World Cup to 40 teams from 2026 – but a final decision has been deferred following Thursday's executive committee meeting.

The committee discussed the dramatic expansion at a meeting on Thursday about a wider reform package.

Fifa executives from Asia and Africa were understood to be strongly in favour of the idea. It also has the support of the Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino and some of the other Fifa presidential candidates. But the plan has been sent back to the Fifa administration for further research as it has commercial ramifications as well as statutory ones.

Wolfgang Niersbach, the German Fifa executive committee member, said the main focal point of the meeting was a "very comprehensive reform package".

He confirmed that the idea of expanding the World Cup was heavily backed by African and Asian members of the committee and would be passed back to Fifa administrators for “further consideration”.

The change is being seen as an attempt to appeal to the majority of the 209 Fifa members who feel Uefa currently has too many spots at the 32-team tournament. The World Cup was expanded from 24 teams to 32 in 1994 and the further expansion would allow Fifa to increase the number of slots available to those outside Europe.

No guaranteed place

Uefa will have 14 places at the next World Cup in Russia, up to 10 more than the next best-represented confederation. The

Oceania Football Confederation

currently has no guaranteed place.

At present Africa has five places, Asia four and a half, Europe 13, North and Central America three and a half, South America four and a half, Oceania half a place and one goes to the host.

Expanding the World Cup to 40 teams, which would increase the total number of matches to 96, is seen as a potential sweetener to the majority of the 209 Fifa member associations to pass other sweeping reforms such as term limits.

The new Brazilian Fifa executive committee member Fernando Sarney confirmed the wider package of reforms had been approved, but that more detail had been asked for on the 40-team World Cup plan.

“They said they need more details some economic projections,” he said. “It is something in the package that we approved – the whole package has been approved but this matter has been reserved.”

Sarney said the atmosphere at Thursday’s executive committee meeting was funereal following the arrests.

Transparency

“It was like someone had died, that was the atmosphere inside. Everybody was surprised, the feeling was like it’s happening again, that it’s something we think is personal. It was supposed to be a positive day today with the reforms and a lot changes, compliance, transparency,” said Sarney.

“It was a feeling that this has happened to somebody who was sitting there yesterday with us. Everybody is sad and knows what it represents.” The executive committee approved reform proposals which would include setting a 12-year term limit for the president, promoting more women within Fifa and conducting integrity checks on all committee members.

David Gill, a Fifa Exco member, said: "I was very pleased with the reforms – the overall package of reforms has been very well thought out and they are very much a step in the right direction.

“In terms of expanding the World Cup, this is such a major decision that it needs proper analysis. There needs to be full consultation with the stakeholders including the clubs, players and fans, and a proper analysis of all the implications including commercially and in football terms.

The acting president Issa Hayatou said: "These reforms are moving Fifa towards improved governance, greater transparency and more accountability. They mark a milestone on our path towards restoring Fifa's credibility as a modern, trusted and professional sports organisation. This signals the beginning of a culture shift at Fifa." Guardian Service