FIFA Reveals Qatar 2022 World Cup May Involve 48 Teams

By Max Wise

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has revealed that the next FIFA World Cup to be hosted in Qatar, in 2022, may involve forty-eight teams.

According to Infantino, the world football governing body is discussing with stakeholders in Qatar to have the World Cup teams increased.

With its current format, 32 teams are eligible to participate in the quadrennial tournament.

FIFA has already thought of increasing the number to 48, but the expansion was supposed to take effect from the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

Speaking at the opening of the Asian Football Confederation's new headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Infantino said: “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.

"And, if not, we will have tried. We will have tried because we always have to try to do things in a better way."