Infantino suggests a massive World Cup featuring 211 teams.
FIFA head Gianni Infantino is proposing a massive expansion of international youth soccer competitions. At the recent FIFA congress, he hinted at the idea of a U15 World Cup, imagining it as a "festival" for young soccer players from all 211 FIFA member nations.
Currently, U15 competitions involve smaller formats without preliminary qualification rounds. However, Infantino's proposed U15 World Cup would be held on an unprecedented scale, with all FIFA members participating. This could potentially be a costly endeavor, as he acknowledged, "it will be complicated, it will be difficult, it will cost a lot of money, that's clear."
In addition to the proposed U15 World Cup, Infantino also mentioned the possibility of a "World Cup of Legends" event. Despite potential logistical challenges, Infantino is determined to explore these ideas further.
When faced with critiques of the organization's increasing number of tournaments, Infantino defended FIFA's role in global soccer. "FIFA only organizes 1% of the matches of the biggest clubs in the world," he stated. "You have to understand that FIFA finances soccer all over the world. The revenue we generate is then redistributed to 211 countries and no other organization does that."
Under his leadership, the Women's World Cup has increased from 24 to 32 teams, while the Men's World Cup will grow to 48 teams in 2026. A major club World Cup is planned for 2025. Previous attempts to hold World Cups every two years had faced strong resistance.
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Gianni Infantino's proposal for the Soccer World Cup 2026 includes an increase in team participation, expanding from 32 to 48 nations. Moreover, Infantino is also enthusiastic about organizing a "World Cup of Legends" event, potentially featuring retired soccer stars from FIFA's 211 member nations.
Source: www.ntv.de
