Four proposals, including a new one that suggests a 48-team World Cup without a preliminary stage, were sent to FIFA Council members as the world governing body mulls changing the current format of the football's most prestigious showpiece. FIFA president Gianni Infantino initially suggested a 48-team World Cup with a one-off preliminary round involving 32 teams, with the 16 winners going into a 32-team group stage and joining 16 teams who would receive a bye. However, the proposal prompted concerns that it would not be viable for some teams to prepare long for the tournament, only to go home after one match. A FIFA source told Ahram Online on Wednesday that the new proposal also suggests a 48-team tournament, albeit in another format. "There will be 16 groups of 3 teams, with a minimum of two games per team. Two teams will qualify from each group," the source said. The tournament would then continue as normal, with the 32 qualified teams drawn into eight groups. "The 16 groups format will make sure no one travels for only one game and that each confederation has a guaranteed number of qualified countries. It's also easier to understand for fans, TV and sponsors," the source added. An expansion of the World Cup is seen as important by FIFA president Infantino, who thinks a 48 teams competition is better than a 40 teams one, the source added. A source close to the matter also said that many FIFA council members prefer this format. Any changes will not be applied before the 2026 World Cup. The other formats are the current 32-team tournament, a 40-team tournament with eight groups of five or 10 groups of four and a 48-team World Cup with a preliminary round. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports)
