Monday, October 28, 2013
Platini calls for World Cup to be expanded to 40 teams
UEFA president Michel Platini has called for the World Cup to be expanded from 32 to 40 teams.
The Frenchman - who could rival current president Sepp Blatter for the top job at FIFA - believes increasing the number of teams in the tournament is the right move going forward.
Blatter feels that African nations in particular are under-represented at the game's showpiece event but Platini favours expansion rather than taking any spots away from Europe, who currently have 13 participants.
"It's good for everybody," Platini told the Times. "I totally agree with Mr Blatter that we need more African and Asian (countries).
"But instead of taking away some European, we have to go to 40 teams in the World Cup.
"We can add two African, two Asiatic, two American and one from Europe. I support this idea totally."
Platini believes the growth of FIFA - and the world game as a whole - in recent decades justifies a bigger World Cup.
"Football is changing and now we have 209 associations," he said. "There are more countries so why reduce? Forty is not so bad."
The Frenchman - who could rival current president Sepp Blatter for the top job at FIFA - believes increasing the number of teams in the tournament is the right move going forward.
Blatter feels that African nations in particular are under-represented at the game's showpiece event but Platini favours expansion rather than taking any spots away from Europe, who currently have 13 participants.
"It's good for everybody," Platini told the Times. "I totally agree with Mr Blatter that we need more African and Asian (countries).
"But instead of taking away some European, we have to go to 40 teams in the World Cup.
"We can add two African, two Asiatic, two American and one from Europe. I support this idea totally."
Platini believes the growth of FIFA - and the world game as a whole - in recent decades justifies a bigger World Cup.
"Football is changing and now we have 209 associations," he said. "There are more countries so why reduce? Forty is not so bad."
