ZURICH • Fifa has abandoned plans to expand the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 teams and play some games in neighbouring countries.
Gianni Infantino, the president of the world football governing body, had been pushing for the tournament to grow from 32 teams, with some matches being played elsewhere in the Middle East.
However, Fifa had to accept that it would be too challenging to do so.
The political problems in the Middle East have proved insurmountable, with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain all blockading host Qatar.
They were three of five countries, including Kuwait and Oman, earmarked as potential hosts for the expanded matches, with Infantino seeing the multiple hosts as a way of ending the embargo and any threat it could pose to the competition.
A Fifa statement on Wednesday read: "In line with the conclusions of the feasibility study approved by the Fifa Council at its last meeting, Fifa and Qatar have jointly explored all possibilities to increase the number of participant teams from 32 to 48 teams by involving neighbouring countries at the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022.
"Following a thorough and comprehensive consultation process with the involvement of all the relevant stakeholders, it was concluded that under the current circumstances, such a proposal could not be made now."
Â
Â
The organisers of the 2022 World Cup issued their own statement, saying: "Qatar had always been open to the idea of an expanded tournament in 2022 had a viable operating model been found and had all parties concluded that an expanded 48-team edition was in the best interest of football and Qatar as the host nation."
The quadrennial event had already been shortened to 28 days as it is being played in November and December, which is in the middle of the European football season.
The expansion plan would have led to up to six matches being played a day, with as little as 48 hours between games for some teams in the group stage.
This had drawn opposition from FIFPro, the international players' union.
The news also came after Europe's top football clubs said in March that they would boycott an expanded 24-team Club World Cup - also backed by Infantino - which is planned to take place from June 17 to July 4 in 2021, replacing the Confederations Cup international tournament.
The 48-team 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico will comprise 16 groups of three teams, with only the bottom side in each group going out to make up a first knockout round of 32.
There will be a total of 80 matches to be played in the tournament, compared with 64 under the existing format.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, NYTIMES, THE TIMES, LONDON
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 26, 2019, with the headline 'Teenage Italy midfielder Zaniolo oozes Roman pedigree'. Print Edition | Subscribe
Teenage Italy midfielder Zaniolo oozes Roman pedigree
Feb 27 (Reuters) - Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku rediscovered his finishing touch in fine fashion, scoring a superb goal in each half to help them to a 3-1 Premier League win at Crystal
Football: Lukaku double inspires Man United to 3-1 win at Palace
Man City launch appeal against Uefa FFP probe and potential Champions League ban. The Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed City's appeal against Uefa
Football: Man City appeal against possible Champions League ban
Football: Zidane set for shock Real Madrid return, reports say
Football: FAS employee sacked over breach of financial protocols While there was no material loss suffered by the Football Association of Singapore, it terminated the employee's contract after
Financial Advisor IQ - After Huge Data Breaches, Republicans
(April 24): Christian Eriksen's 88th minute goal finally broke Brighton and Hove Albion's brave resistance to give Tottenham Hotspur a precious 1-0 victory in their quest for a top-four finish in the Premier League on Tuesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus will play the pre-season International Champions Cup in Asia and not in the United States amid the Portugal star's rape investigation there. Juve to avoid US pre-season amid Ronaldo rape claims - report | Sport24
Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus Won't Play in US ICC Matches Amid
But then the rank insubordination from Kepa — however Chelsea may try to paint it. Alamy Live News Roman Abramovich, pictured at a performance of The Nutcracker in Moscow, has a choice to make over Maurizio Sarri's future Reuters Why wasn't senior defender David Luiz backing Maurizio Sarri in the Kepa Arrizabalaga sub row?
'How could he do that?' Maurizio Sarri's outburst at Kepa
Spain in charge in qualifying quest after beating Sweden
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer enjoyed a dream start as Manchester United's interim manager as his side thrashed his former club Cardiff City 5-1 in the Premier League on Saturday. Solskjaer, handed control
Solskjaer makes dream start as Man Utd thrash Cardiff
revision ( may final exam ) // speaking test as i told you in class (according to the school website), if you would like to see your final exam, you need to come on wednesday 15th may to our usual classroom.
Greens seek to leverage EU wins to - malaysia.shafaqna.com
A small village in Argentina on Saturday bid farewell to a favorite son, the soccer striker Emiliano Sala, who died along with his pilot last month when his small plane crashed in the English Channel.Friends, family and supporters gathered early Saturday in the village of Progreso, in the country's northeast, for a wake at Mr. Sala's soccer boyhood club, San Martín de Progreso, where his body
Emiliano Sala's Grieving Argentine Hometown Bids Farewell
And that has got Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Lim Kia Tong and his council worried. "We need to see if we need to tweak the system or the coaching staff," added Lim, whose
Lim Kia Tong 'willing to change', gets support ahead of FAS
watch coppa america live streaming bola
watch soccer live streaming zee tv
watch barclays premier league online live streaming
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming uk
watch coppa america live streaming online
watch coppa america live streaming nz
watch champions league online free live streaming hd
watch coppa america live streaming ufc
watch premier league live streaming free
watch soccer online free streaming live
watch uefa champions league live streaming youtube
watch indian premier league live streaming
watch live soccer streaming on android
watch karnataka premier league live streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live iphone
watch soccer online free streaming live arabic
watch coppa america live streaming quality
how to watch premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming direct
watch live soccer stream android
watch english premier league live streaming hd
watch premier league live streaming juventus
watch soccer live streaming xfinity
watch champions league live streaming jamaica
watch premier league live streaming live
watch soccer live streaming xbox one
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo7
watch soccer live streaming zimbabwe
watch soccer live stream hunter
watch afghanistan premier league live stream
watch usa soccer live stream
watch soccer live football streaming - ronaldo7.net
watch coppa america live streaming philippines
watch champions league draw live stream total sportek
watch champions league live streaming pakistan
watch coppa america live streaming free
watch soccer online free streaming live india
watch champions league simulcast live stream
watch coppa america live streaming usa
watch coppa america live streaming youtube
watch coppa america live streaming app
watch premier league live streaming xfinity
super soccer tv live streaming indonesia
soccer tv live football streaming gratuit
khan tv pw watch indian premier league 2018 live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming reddit
watch epl live streaming free no sign up
watch champions league live streaming now tv
watch coppa america live streaming now
watch coppa america live streaming hotstar
watch coppa america live streaming indosiar
watch premier league live streaming vf
watch soccer online free streaming live app
watch champions league live streaming mobile
live tv soccer live stream - live3s.com
watch coppa america live streaming vivo
watch soccer live streaming jamaica
watch coppa america live streaming tv
watch champions league live streaming live
how to watch uefa champions league live streaming
watch soccer online free live streaming livetv ru
watch sky sports premier league live streaming
soccer tv live football streaming garuda select
watch premier league net live stream channel
super soccer tv live streaming persib
watch everton vs tottenham live soccer streaming
free watch soccer live streaming
watch champions league live streaming manchester united
watch soccer online free streaming live dracula
watch premier league live streaming xbox
watch soccer online free streaming live english
watch live english premier league online free streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live no registration
watch coppa america live streaming juventus
free live football streams watch live streaming tv premier league
watch soccer live live football streaming cr7
watch champions league live streaming bein sport
watch coppa america live streaming eng
watch english premier league live streaming
soccer tv live football streaming portugal
watch premier league live stream hd
watch premier league live streaming zee tv
watch champions league live streaming cricfree
apps to watch live streaming soccer
watch uefa champions league live streaming sportek
watch coppa america live streaming qatar
watch coppa america live streaming sub eng
live ipl live streaming- watch indian premier league 2013 online
watch tamil nadu premier league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming hd free
watch champions league final live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
www.watch premier league live stream.com
watch premier league live streaming qatar
watch soccer games live stream free
watch champions league live streaming eng
watch champions league live streaming vk
how to watch soccer live streaming free
watch champions league live streaming now
watch soccer game live espn
watch live streaming soccer online espn3
watch usa soccer live stream online
watch coppa america live streaming video
watch the premier league live stream
watch champions league live streaming malaysia
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online
watch coppa america live streaming manchester united
#realmadrid #uefanationsleague #premierleague #england #ballondor #vandijk #salah #tokyo #klopp #BMW #leicestercity #lionelmessi #beatifulgame #bayernmunich #freekick #24x7 #livesports #premierleague #league2 #champion #watchlive #Vip45 #rugby #footballschedule #soccer #kopisusu #meunier #comics #nikesoccer #villarealcf #freekickerz #knuckleball #streamingbolaid #copaamerica #gunners #realmadridcf #thomasmeunier #hoffenhiem #zinedinezidane #romania #satira #bundesliga #portsmouthfc #goal #transfernews #liverpoolcity #bestshishacafedubai #mancityvsliverpool #ronaldo #roadtrip #sixtimes #winner #londoncity #mensnightout #cristianoronaldo #rockstar #livestreams #goodday #frasitrap #zidane #neymar #comico #thebeatles #alissonbecker #elcasico #footballstreaming #myfootballuniverse #messi #barcelona #crossfit #Celtic #petercrouch #coffeebreak #girlsniteout #sunderlandafc #paulmcartney #nationsleague #football #liverpool #Liamgallagher #liverpool #realmadrid #coyg #leomessi #arsenalfantv #Barca #calciatoribrutti #serieatim #footballdubai #soccermemes #liverpoolfc #manchesterunited #henderson #oasisofficial #arsenal #vip #conference
No comments:
Post a Comment