World Cup to expand to include 48 teams

The FIFA football World Cup will be expanded to host 48 teams, up from 32, starting from the 2026 tournament. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been behind the move, saying the World Cup has to be "more inclusive" and that it would also benefit "the development of football all over the world," according to the BBC. FIFA’s own research projects a GBP 521 mn increase in profit from a 48-team format, BBC notes.