Sepp Blatter Confirms 2022 World Cup Stays With 32 Teams
FIFA president Sepp Blatter said the 2022 World Cup will be held with 32 teams and with the same number of regional slots as for 2018.
The 2022 World Cup will remain a 32 team competition with no change to the share between the regional confederations, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Saturday after talks between football chiefs.
Europe and South America had feared an attempt to cut their places, but Blatter said: "there is no change." (Shame Sepp Blatter Was Reelected FIFA President: Romario)
The decision taken by FIFA's executive committee means that Europe will still have 13 places at the Qatar tournament and Africa five. (Blatter Slams US Action, Europe 'Hate' Campaign)
Asia and South America each get four places and a chance at a playoff. North and Central America get three places and a playoff chance while the Oceania winner enters a playoff. (Blatter Faces Uphill Task After Reelection)
Qatar will qualify automatically as the hosts. (Russia, Qatar Will Host 2018, 2022 World Cups, Confirms FIFA)
UEFA chief Michel Platini had said ahead of the meeting that remaining at 13 places was a "red line" for the European confederation. (Russia Welcomes Blatter Victory)
Prince Ali bin al Hussein, who challenged Blatter for the FIFA presidency, had proposed increasing the number of teams. (US Official Says More FIFA Indictments Likely)
But Blatter said on Friday that the World Cup should "not be touched." (Platini Demands FIFA Change)
The FIFA executive also "confirmed" that the same continent cannot hold the World Cup twice in a row, which definitively ruled out a Chinese bid for 2026.
"In accordance with the FIFA Statutes ... member associations from the Asian Football Confederation would not be able to bid for 2026," said a FIFA statement. (David Gill Refuses Vice-Presidential Post at FIFA)
China had expressed an interest in 2026 but its football leaders said the rule made a bid unlikely as Qatar will host the 2022 edition.
Wang Jianlin, one of China's richest men, who has a stake in Atletico Madrid and also owns the Infront sports promotion agency met with Blatter at the FIFA congress in Zurich this week.