From a matter-of-fact standpoint, you're right: Conmebol made a formal request, and it has to be processed. But Infantino does have the choice to either go hands-off and let things fall where they may, or his current path of actively promoting this potential expansion.
"What is 100 percent is that the 2022 World Cup is going to be spectacular and a total success." Well ok then....
Infantino urges Kuwait to host 2022 World Cup https://www.france24.com/en/20190414-infantino-urges-kuwait-host-2022-world-cup-matches-media
Kuwait has a complete ban on buying/selling alcohol (like Saudi Arabia). This is not going to work. Keep it at 32 and if the blockade ends before 2022 you can still sprinkle some games in the UAE, Bahrain and Oman. In that scenario Qatar would be willing to share to restore relations.
Also Kuwait is not exactly right next door, it's an hour or two flight. Does Kuwait even have a world cup level stadium? I think just one that could even count close to a WC level stadium. How many games would they actually take from Qatar? I think their visa policies are also a lot stricter than UAE / Bahrain / Qatar.... just keep it in Qatar....
infantino is so greedy that he ignores obvious facts and would do anything just to get those few millions, no matter how ridiculous those moves are. still on the other hand, world cup 2022 got destroyed the moment it was awarded, noone with common sense cares any more!
Exactly! As far as I am concerned, they can expand it to 128 or decrease it to FIFA-ranking top 16 teams, I don't care.
On a vaguely more pleasant note - although it's hardly massively important given the teams involved ... but First qualifying draw is today. The draw for the first round will be held on 17 April 2019 at 11:00 (UTC+8) the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur. http://www.the-afc.com/competitions...ar-2022-asian-teams-set-to-discover-opponents Bhutan - seeded - LOL. Their win against Sri Lanka at this stage last time around was particularly cool - sadly they didn't draw us in the next stage. I would have been tempted to make the away trip to Thimphu in that case. J
Ha ha - I actually went to see the Qatar vs Bhutan WCQ match here in Doha a couple of years back. I wore my Bhutan shirt which I picked up traveling there. Bhutan is a really unique and beautiful country. It's mainly archery which they are good at. It showed as that match wound up being Qatar's largest every victory winning 15-0. They do have in my opinion some of the coolest jerseys in the game. However, couldn't get my hands on one, even in Bhutan itself
About the preliminary draw (in July or a later date): is there anything you can correct/add to this? FIFA changed the July ranking's publication date, 25th instead of the 18th, and now can take the full results of the African Nations Cup 2019 into account. CAF's first qualifying round and AFC's second qualifying round are scheduled to begin in September. Most likely they'll use the July ranking. Hopefully there'll be more info by June/council meeting in Paris, incl. about the expansion nonsense, but I guess they could hold this preliminary draw in the last weekend of July (or soon after). Also, the 2019 Copa América results will be included in the July ranking. FIFA could go ahead with Conmebol's preliminary draw. Can't tell if the format/league system will be scrapped in case of an expansion but it sounds like the qualification structure will remain the same (scheduled to start in March next year). Like last time FIFA could add the OFC Nations Cup draw but could as well hold it at a later date (OFC's first qualifying round scheduled to start in Sep.2020 and second qualifying round to take place in June 2021?). In Concacaf's preliminary draw the April 2019 ranking will be used for seeding the first four rounds (scheduled to start in Sep.2020). Will the format be overhauled, will there be a draw in July? Holding UEFA's preliminary draw in July isn't ideal. The 2020 ECQs have already started and for the July ranking there'll be teams that only played two ECQs, others will have played three or even four ECQs. Makes more sense to hold the draw after the 2020 EUROs or better yet later that year when the 2021 UNL Final 4 teams are known (for aptness and format reasons). Luckily it looks like FIFA's July 2019 ranking, published almost two years before the European qualis for Qatar even begin, won't be used: "Furthermore a FIFA-spokesman has confirmed that "the draw for European World Cup qualifying is done in 2020".
Similarly as in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Preliminary Draw ... "The fixtures will be determined by a draw, which will be held as part of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Preliminary Draw" Even if they don't abandon the league system there's a preliminary draw In case of an expansion Conmebol get 6 direct spots + 1 PO spot (and an extra PO spot when hosting). A gruelling 18 matchdays to eliminate 3 teams is a bit much. Basically a relegation scrap from the start.
And praise be for that...beats Grondona's "Let's keep Uruguay-Argentina on the last matchday in case either of us needs help" preset schedule
https://www.insidesport.co/qatar-world-cup-2022-indian-fans-to-get-visa-on-arrival/ Interesting. They may rely on India to fill in the seats. After doing a little research there were about 18,000 tickets sold to people in India for Russia 2018. Maybe they can double that or triple that this time around due to proximity and since it seems like they are bending over backwards for the visas. If India somehow gets into the World Cup maybe more??? (I know that probably won't happen, but still. If expansion occurs they may have better chances to fluke their way in.)
If expansion occurs India still won't qualify. If they follow through and give Asia 8.5 +1 for it's going to be : Qatar, Iran, SK, Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Iraq, and UAE. Then after that you still have Syria/Kuwait/Oman/China/Vietnam and some more. Would have to be the mother of flukes.
There is probably no plan for 48 team WC in 2022. He is just throwing a stupider idea out so that the original doesn't sound as bad.
That is why I said better chances to fluke their way in. Did not say it would happen but Flukes happen occasionally.