The President of the World football governing body FIFA ,Gianni Infantino has announced that the 2022 World cup in Qatar will respect the traditional 32 team format contrary to the expanded 48 team announced earlier by the football body in October 2018.
The decision will be formally announced at the FIFA congress in Paris,France.
Going thought with the project would imply that host Qatar would have host some matches along side neighbouring countries in the middle East. A report by FIFA indicated that the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia could not join as co-host unless ties between these nation’s were re-established.
A possible expansion of the global football showpiece from 32 to 48 will call for an increase in the number of matches during the tournament. However ,the decision to implement the project “could not be made now ” FIFA says.
This implies that the 2026 world cup co- hosted by the United State, Canada and Mexico will be the first tournament to feature the new 48 team format.
In January 2017, FIFA voted unanimously to increase the world cup to 48 teams during the 2026 world cup but changed plans and decided to bring the changes in 2022 after consultation in October 2018.
The quadrennial men’s international football jamboree will be the first ever in the Arab World and a Muslim majority country.
Qatar have already expressed readiness to host the event already barely 3 years to the event despite plans by FIFA not to persuit their plans.
Africa légend Samuel Eto’o was named the 2020 world cup ambassador.
The 2020 world Cup will be played between Nov 21st to December 18.
Beng Emmanuel
