Hehe,......Football Governing Body FIFA at a council meeting in Zurich announced that the World Cup finals will be expanded to 48 teams from the 2026 edition. The expanded 48 – team World Cup approved by world football governing body FIFA will see Africa now getting nine slots , four more than they currently enjoy .
An initial stage of 16 groups of three teams will precede a knockout stage for the remaining 32 when the change is made for the 2026 tournament .
In the expanded tournament , Europe will now have 16 teams, three more than what they have now, while South America will now get six automatic slots , upwards from the four automatic and one playoff places.
The decision marks a major coup for the body’s President Gianni Infantino who has made enlarging football’s showcase event the centre-piece of his young administration.
The World Cup was expanded to 24 teams in 1982 in Spain before moving to its current 32-team version at France 1998.
BREAKDOWN
UEFA…16 (13 at present)
CAF…9 (5 )
ASIA…8.5 (4.5)
SOUTH AMERICA …6 (4.5)
CONCACAF…6.5 (3.5)
OCEANIA…1 (0.5)
HOST COUNTRY…1
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