‘A 48-team World Cup if Doha agrees’

DOHA: Any decision by FIFA to increase the 2022 World Cup to 48 teams will only be made in agreement with hosts Qatar, a senior Gulf tournament organiser said Wednesday.

Nasser al-Khater, talking to journalists in Doha, said at the moment the country was continuing to prepare for a 32-team tournament in three years’ time.

“No decision will be made without the agreement of Qatar, this is an important point,” he said. “It will be a joint decision.”

He added: “We are waiting for the results of the feasibility study, and once they are ready, (FIFA) will share them with us... to see if it is possible”.

FIFA is carrying out the study into increasing the number of teams by 16 in 2022 and will announce a final decision in March.

Last month FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in Doha that a “majority” of football federations supported the increase.