Infantino refuses to rule out 64-team World Cups, jokes that even Italy could qualify

[p]Four-time world champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/italy/hlKvieGH/"]Italy[/a] failed to qualify for Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 and now North America 2026, the first edition to feature 48 teams.[/p][p][b]"We have had discussions about expanding to 64 teams... the matter was presented to the FIFA council," [/b]Infantino told Brazilian digital broadcaster CazeTV on Thursday before the World Cup opener, which [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mexico/O6iHcNkd/"]Mexico[/a] won 2-0 against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/W2ijYvlr/"]South Africa[/a].[/p][p][b]"Maybe Italy qualify with 64 teams, or we could even go up to 208 teams,"[/b] he added with a laugh in a brief interview as he entered Mexico City's Azteca Stadium.[/p][p]South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) president Alejandro Dominguez of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/paraguay/YaNlqp6j/"]Paraguay[/a] is promoting a proposal to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams to mark the centenary of the tournament's first edition, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/uruguay/xMk44orG/"]Uruguay[/a] 1930.[/p][p]Part of the event will be held in Paraguay, Uruguay and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a] as a nod to the tournament's history, but the main host nations will be Spain, Portugal and Morocco.[/p][p][b]"We first have to see how this first World Cup with 48 teams goes," [/b]Infantino said.[/p][p]Italy's sports minister Andrea Abodi was widely quoted by media as saying that he wanted to speak to Infantino as he was left "perplexed" by his comments.[/p][p][b]"Given that there is a big distance between Italy and Mexico, I'd rather speak to him on the telephone to understand (what he meant),"[/b] said Abodi.[/p][p][b]"I'd like to hear from him directly."[/b][/p][infobox id="223b89ff-ddb8-4772-8cfb-8f89aea85267" /]