Michel Platini proposes 40-team FIFA World Cup 2018
Baku, October 28 (AZERTAC). UEFA president, Michel Platini, wants to increase the number of teams competing in the World Cup finals from 32 to 40, starting in 2018. Platini, prompted by the Fifa president Sepp Blatter's desire to cut the number of European teams involved in the finals in favour of Africa and Asia, said his proposal would extend the tournament by only three days and would be "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. We can add two African, two Asiatic, two American, one Oceania and one from Europe."
Platini said the finals would grow to eight groups of five. "Football is changing … we have 209 associations, so why reduce? Make more people happy."
Platini`s proposal comes amid increased tension with Blatter before the next Fifa presidential election in 2015. Asked what the Fifa president made of the idea, Platini said: "I haven`t told him yet."
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