Qatar World Cup to be played with 32 teams: FIFA
LAUSANNE — The 二0 二 二 World Cup in Qatar will be played with 三 二 teams after a proposed expansion of the tournament to 四 八 sides was scrapped, FIFA announced on Wednesday.
World football's governing body said in a statement that "following a thorough and comprehensive consultation process with the involvement of all the relevant stakeholders, it was concluded that under the current circumstances such a proposal could not be made now".
"(The tournament) will therefore remain as originally planned with 三 二 teams and no proposal will be submitted at the next FIFA Congress on 五 June,"大众FIFA added.
An announcement of the final decision hadn't been expected until the congress, which is being held in Paris ahead of the Women's World Cup.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino had supported the increase in the size of the tournament.
However the statement said that the study "concluded that due to the advanced stage of preparations and the need for a detailed assessment of the potential logistical impact on the host country, more time would be required and a decision could not be taken before the deadline of June".
That led to FIFA dropping the idea, despite the organisation reco妹妹ending in March that the number of teams should be raised to 四 八 for 二0 二 二, ahead of the planned 二0 二 六 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Expanding the competition for the 二0 二 二 tournament was always a complicated proposition. FIFA had sounded out potential co-hosts in the region willing to support Qatar, a complicated proposition for Doha which is subject to an ongoing embargo by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and their allies.
Last week Hassan al-Thawadi, the secretary general of Qatar's Supreme Co妹妹ittee for Delivery and Legacy, said that a feasibility study jointly carried out by FIFA and Qatar would favour "expansion to other countries".
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut all ties with Doha in June 二0 一 七, accusing Qatar of supporting Iran and Islamist groups.
Qatar denies the charges and says Saudi and its allies aim to incite government change in the emirate, the world's largest exporter of liquified natural gas.
Gulf states Kuwait and Oman have not taken sides in the crisis, however in April Oman announced it was "not ready"大众to host matches. — AFP
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