Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s director of World Soccer Development, reported this Sunday, December 4, that in 2023 it will be decided whether the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in Canada, Mexico and the United Stateswill be played with 12 integrated groups of 4 teams or 16 groups of 3 teams after the quota was increased to 48 teams.
“They are already thinking about the 2026 World Cup, 48 teams, it is something that has not been decided, if there will be 16 groups with three teams or 12 with four teams, We’ll see, we won’t decide, that decision will be taken by the council next year”, commented Arsene Wenger.
If expanded to 12 groups of 4 teams, the first two of each and 8 teams that are the best third parties would qualify to make up 32 teams in the round of 32. Instead of being the group of 3 format, the format decided by FIFA would be different.
FIFA will hold a Congress next year where the format of the World Cup will be decided in 4 years that it will be under a new style after the expansion from 32 to 48 teams, which Arsene Wenger pointed out will be to give the continents more opportunities.
“We have to find 16 more level teams, in Africa there are five, in Europe three, in general it would mean not even 25 percent. of the world’s teams would be, that’s why more opportunities are given to more teams, that football develops, we analyzed 205 countries and there is a deficit, I am convinced of the idea that more opportunities are offered”, added Wenger.
Mexico will have 10 World Cup matches, although this number could increase depending on the competition format decided by FIFA.
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