Soccer World Cup to allow many more nations in 2026

World FIFA to expand World Cup to 48 teams in 2026 January 10, 2017 / 11:48 AM EST / AP Add CBS News on Google ZURICH - FIFA will expand the World Cup to 48 teams, adding 16 extra nations to the 2026 tournament that is likely to be held in North America.President Gianni Infantino’s favored plan - for 16 three-team groups with the top two advancing to a round of 32 - was unanimously approved Tuesday by the FIFA Council.It meets Infantino’s election pledge of a bigger and more inclusive World Cup going beyond European and South American teams, which have won all 20 titles.“We have to shape the football World Cup of the 21st century,” said Infantino, who also promised funding increases for FIFA’s 211 member federations at his election last February.With 80 matches instead of 64, FIFA forecasts the equivalent of $1 billion extra income at current rates from broadcasting and sponsor deals, plus ticket sales, compared to $5.5 billion revenue forecast for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.FIFA projects an increased profit of $640 million despite some extra operating costs and prize money for teams.FIFA’s six continents should find out by May how many extra places they will each get. “No guarantees have been made,” Infantino said. “The only sure thing is that obviously with 48 teams everyone will have a bit more than they have today.”UEFA wants 16 European teams at the tournament, which is strongly favored to be played in North America. The CONCACAF region has not hosted the World Cup since the 1994 tournament in the United States.American, Canadian and Mexican soccer leaders have had informal talks about a co-hosting bid.FIFA members are scheduled to pick the host in May 2020, though there could be little competition in a process Infantino said must be “bullet-proof” to meet all integrity rules. Africa and Asia could be winners in a bigger World Cup with up to nine places each. They had only five and four t...