EXPANDED CUP WILL BE ‘BETTER’: MONTAGLIANI

EX-CANADA SOCCER BOSS SAYS THIS EVENT SHOWS WE’RE ‘READY FOR 48 TEAMS’

Moroccan coach Herve Renard sat to our right. The Cyprus Football Association president greeted Victor Montagliani and me at the conclusion of our chat inside one of Moscow’s most luxurious hotels. I was half-tempted to loiter just to see if more FIFA royalty would show up.

Ultimately, though, this meeting was about Canada, its confederation, this tournament and the “United” World Cup.

And Montagliani, the exCanada Soccer boss who is now the CONCACAF chief, had plenty to say during the hour preceding those chance lobby meetings.

“This World Cup has shown that we’re probably ready for 48 teams (in the World Cup),” Montagliani said.

His assertion arrived amid prominent pundits’ fears of a predicted drop in quality at future tournaments.

England’s 6-1 drubbing of Panama earlier this week fuelled arguments that FIFA’s decision to expand the field in 2026 is misguided.

“You can’t look at one result,” Montagliani said. “You’re always going to have 6-1 games at any World Cup.

“The 48-team (tournament) goes to a 32-team knockout (phase) right away. It’s better. You only play two games in the first round. You can’t mess around. You can’t rest guys.

“We have eight years, a few more expanded Euros and an expanded Gold Cup. In eight years, I think you’re going to have teams that are ready to go.”

Four years after seeing three of its four World Cup entries advance to the round of 16, CONCACAF teams finished this year’s group stage with a combined 2-6-1 record.

Those in the anti-World Cup expansion camp point to the fact just two sides from outside Europe or South America are still alive.

“With all due respect, those pundits come from the same countries,” Montagliani said. “If it was up to some of those countries, we’d still have eight teams in the World Cup.”

The current proposal will see under-represented confederations receive more entries into the 2026 tournament with Asia and Africa allotted eight and nine spots, respectively. Canada’s confederation (CONCACAF) is expected to receive six entries, though three of them are expected to go to the host nations.

“Those who question it are in the minority when it comes to the football world,” Montagliani said, adding “world football is a lot different (in other regions).

“It’s not just about what’s happening in the (World Cup). It’s about what’s happening in the world. Football is a global economy that’s no different than any other market.”

Montagliani uses Panama as an example. Los Canaleros were throttled by England yet still found reason to be positive after exiting Russia with their first World Cup goal.

“You saw the reaction in Panama,” he said. “I was talking to the president of Panama. He said, ‘Come on, Vic, I want the Gold Cup to come to Panama. We want to go back and put money into our infrastructure.’

“There are a lot of positive things that come out of (an expanded World Cup).”

Closer to home, Montagliani cites expanding the Gold Cup to include venues in Central America and the Caribbean as another initiative to grow the game.

The Gold Cup field, which already includes CONCACAF’s hexagonal qualifiers, will be rounded out with the top 10 finishers from CONCACAF’s new Nations League — a competition that includes Canada.

Montagliani is steadfast in his belief the Nations League will improve every side within the confederation. “Most of the countries said, ‘If we don’t get into the hex, we’re dormant for two years,’” he said.

With every team slated to play 24 Nations League games over four years, the expectation is teams like Montserrat, for instance, will attract European footballers eligible for dual citizenship.

“You’re going to see players pop up for some of these countries and be surprised,” Montagliani said. “Montserrat has two guys who play in the English Championship.

“A player wants an international career, not a one-off game in some cup … I think (Nations League) is good all around.”

Montagliani has maintained his bottom-up mentality when it comes to growing the sport within a top-heavy confederation.

The ultimate aim is to see Canada and federations throughout CONCACAF continue to close the gap between themselves and perennial World Cup teams.

JACK GUEZ / AFP / GETTY IMAGES While critics have pointed to Panama’s 6-1 loss to England as a reason why an expanded World Cup will be watered down, players like Ricardo Avila and Jose Luis Rodriguez still found a positive this week with their country’s first goal in tournament...