By Andrew Warshaw
November 4 – Battered by widespread criticism of his plans to expand the World Cup finals, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has come out fighting by insisting the move will provide a better spectacle for both fans and sponsors.
Many observers view Infantino’s pledge to increase the number of finalists from 32 to either 40 or 48 teams as a purely political initiative to enhance his standing in continents like Asia and Africa.
A recommendation to congress is likely to be agreed at FIFA’s next ruling Council meeting in Zurich in January, but Infantino says expansion can only benefit the tournament.
Under his idea, 16 nations would be eliminated after a single game before the tournament proper – in effect, a 32-team tournament preceded by a knockout round held in the host nation.
Infantino told Reuters: “Actually, it is 32 teams but with an additional playoff round where you can bring in teams from different confederations and make sure the best 32 qualify for the group stage.”
The qualifying competition for a World Cup traditionally ends the preceding November, but Infantino said his plan would keep the alive the dream of qualifying until June for an extra 16 teams.
“If we shift the last November date into June, then we move the whole perception of 16 more countries in the world. It is the World Cup fever you can create in a country from November until June, and this brings in kids who register in clubs, broadcasters who go to the local association, sponsors, the whole football movement in a country is really boosted.”
Infantino also favours putting a ceiling on squad sizes to stop the ‘hoarding’ of players by the richest clubs who shift many of them out on loan. “It is time to seriously revise” the transfer system, he said, “and bring it a little more transparency and a little more clarity,” not least when it comes to loans.
“I believe it is not right but it is permitted,” added Infantino. “It doesn’t feel right, for a club to just hoard the best young players and then to park them left and right, it’s not good for the development of the player, it’s not good for the club itself.”
Capping squad sizes could alleviate the problem, he said. “I fully share that view, we have to work on squad size limits.”
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