Portugal's football coach Fernando Santos has backed the idea of increasing the number of participating nations in the 2026 World Cup to 48 from the current 32 as it will allow all teams to play the same amount of games and will be more competitive.
Talking to media persons here on Thursday he acknowledged that he was a little hesitant when the idea was proposed for the first time, as he imagined it would increase the number of games for each nation, which could make it more complicated, reports Efe.
Santos explained that the same thing happened in Euro 2016, and all teams were worried about the new 24-team-format, but it turned into a great soccer investment for many nations.
FIFA, last Tuesday, agreed to increase to 48 the number of participating nations in the 2026 World Cup, which will be divided into 16 groups, each group having three teams.
The group winner and the runner up would then qualify for the knockout round of 32.
--IANS
gau/dg
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app