Asia given berths in 2026 World Cup plan
Fifa’s proposals for expanded tournament could be boon for Thai hopes
>> ZURICH: Fifa has proposed to allocate eight slots for Asia at the 2026 World Cup, an increase from current 4.5 for the continent when the field expands from 32 to 48.
The plan by Fifa President Gianni Infantino and his counterparts from six confederations, to be ratified by the Fifa Council on May 9 in Bahrain, would also see the figures jump for Africa (five to nine) and North, Central America and Caribbean (3.5 to six).
The proposal guarantees at least a place for each continent as Oceania, currently with 0.5 berths, was given one slot, but the increase was marginal for powerhouses Europe (13 to 16) and South America (4.5 to six).
The hosts will continue to qualify automatically and their slot will be taken from their confederation’s quota. In the event of co-hosting, the number of automatically qualified host countries would be decided by the Fifa Council.
Asia, which currently has just two teams, Iran and South Korea, in the top 48 of the Fifa Ranking with Japan languishing in 51st, is one of the biggest beneficiaries from the proposed change as it could have as many as nine teams — the last through a new play-off — at the prestigious event.
Thailand could benefit from the increase.
With the current quota, it is extremely difficult for the Thais to secure their first ever World Cup berth through qualifying.
They lost 3-0 to Saudi Arabia in Bangkok last week and were hammered 4-0 by Japan in Saitama on Tuesday in their most recent World Cup qualifying matches.
A six-team play-off in November 2025 is planned to decide the last two teams, competed by a team from each confederation barring Uefa, with a team from the hosts’ confederation installed instead. The occasion will serve as a test event for the hosts for the finals in 2026.
The generous allocation for some continents implies a strong emphasis on building the sport’s worldwide popularity. Europe has 26 teams in the top 48 of the latest Fifa Ranking, while South America has eight of its 10 nations. Africa has nine, the same figure as its potential future berths.
‘LAST SCALP’
Michel Platini laid bare his anger at his spectacular downfall on Thursday, breaking his silence to accuse Fifa bosses of wanting to destroy him and claiming Sepp Blatter “always said I’d be his last scalp”.
Former Uefa boss Platini and erstwhile ally Blatter — once the most powerful man in football as Fifa president — were both banned from football in December 2015 over a payment of two million Swiss francs (US$2 million, €1.8 million) authorised by Blatter to his one-time heir apparent.
Platini’s original ban was cut from eight years to six and then to four by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Speaking publicly for the first time since he vowed in May 2016 to fight to clear his name after the CAS ruling, the former France football star gave senior Fifa officials and Blatter both barrels.
“They were looking for something to destroy me with,” Platini, 61, told the French newspaper Le Monde, when asked if he felt that Fifa had trained its sights on him.
“Various i n-house affairs at Fifa were exploited by the people who pulled the strings.
“I lived in the hope that they would tell the truth, but it never happened.”
Platini was responding to suggestions that Marco Villiger, a close associate of Blatter and a Fifa legal director, had informed prosecutors of the controversial payment, chief among a series of corruption scandals that rocked Fifa and triggered his and Blatter’s ousting.
Asked about Blatter, 81, who had been head of Fifa since 1998, Platini added: “He’s the biggest egoist I’ve ever seen in my life. He always said I’d be his last scalp.”
“He thought he would grow old, finish, die and be buried in Fifa, it was his wish,”
Blatter was “a fascinating person” and “exceptional political animal”, Platini added.