“We aim to limit European hegemony.” Infantino defends his controversial decision

The president of the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, defended the decision to hold the 2026 World Cup with the participation of 48 teams for the first time in history.

In a move that caused controversy among supporters and opponents, FIFA decided to increase the number of teams participating in the tournament from 32 to 48, while for the first time in history, the organization of the edition was entrusted to 3 countries: the United States of America, Canada and Mexico.

While some welcomed the decision as it opened the door to previously absent teams, a number of experts criticized the move as it increases the number of matches in the tournament, which exposes players to fatigue, in addition to the participation of weaker teams, which can affect the enjoyment of the game, especially in the first rounds.

Infantino stated in the statements of the Spanish newspaper “Marca” that this step has great potential to increase competitiveness and attract investments outside the borders of the European continent.

During his participation in the forum of the Milken Institute Global Economics Conference in Los Angeles, he added. “I want about 50 countries out of 211 FIFA member associations to win the World Cup.”

The Swiss official emphasized the importance of expanding the investment base in football, adding: “We don’t want investors to invest in only one place, but we want to create real competition because that will help everyone to develop.”

The FIFA president explained that the increase in the number of teams aims to reduce the historical dominance of European football and open the way for more countries to be able to compete.

He said: “I want 50 countries to be able to win the World Cup instead of a monopoly of a limited number of big teams.”

In the previous 22 World Cups, European teams have won 12 titles, compared to 10 for Latin American representatives.

European teams have won 4 titles in the last 5 games of the tournament.

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Infantino also criticized the limited interest in soccer in the United States of America, despite its leadership in many areas, noting that the next tournament will reach huge viewing figures equivalent to “104 Super Bowls in 39 days”.

He added: “The United States is the number one country in the world in many fields, and I don’t see how it can accept being ranked twentieth in the world’s most popular sport.”

He considered that the lack of internal confidence in the game has prompted American investors to direct their money to the European markets, stressing: “Americans should believe in soccer in their country because it will benefit everyone.”

Infantino recently presided over the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, where he confirmed that the Iranian national team will participate in the World Cup, given the controversy surrounding its participation.

The FIFA president is also set to contest new elections for an extended term from 2027 to 2031 with the clear backing of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).