Michel Platini calls for 40-team World Cup starting with Russia 2018 The 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." Your Opinions? Changes to the berth of each continent if they increase the WC teams to 40 teams?
The Group Stage currently takes 15 days for three matchdays per group, which is 5 days per game. Groups of five would require five matchdays per group. Each team would play four games with one matchday off, and all the teams in a group couldn't play their last game at the same time. Proportionally then it would increase the length by 10 days, and even if rest was decreased I don't see how it would increase the length by only 3 days. Having groups of five where only two teams advance makes it more likely to have games on the last matchday where both teams are already eliminated. I think 32 teams is the right amount.
Platini appears to be somewhat obsessive-compulsive, he's obsessed with increasing numbers. First the Euros, now the World Cup. I think 32 is more than enough, the last World Cup was proof of this. Many of the group stage matches were incredibly dull and a chore to watch as teams like Honduras, Slovenia etc. put on dreary, defensive performances because they knew they had a good chance to qualify for the last 16 with two draws and a 1-0 win.
Super easy way to increase the revenue while get praises from countries who are making heavy financial contribution without any football merit.
Jordan result against Uruguay proofed that 40 teams for the WC tournament would not be a good idea. So 32 teams is the best.
32 is fine. Just reset the number of teams for each confederation. Give an automatic spot to OFC (otherwise, it's not a WORLD Cup) and take it away from the confederation which hosts the event.
so australia can go to every world cup? Because I m sure they ll go back to their confederation. Only reason australia went to asia is because they had to play a southamerican team to qualify which usually meant they were not going to qualify to the world cup . Not a good idea. If there were to be 8 more spots then I would think 2 teams from each confederation should do a tournament or league type to see who qualifies. But that would take a long time so I just dont see it happening