World Cup Expansion Plans

[ChesterDave]

From possibly as early as 2018 although given some associations have such long qualifying processes I can't see it that soon myself.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24701131

Not sure what to make of it to be honest. I think on those numbers there will be some utter rubbish in the competition and will lead to some ridiculosly one-sided games

Some of those associations are barely good enough to send as many teams as they do, let alone getting 2 more spots.

[Darkon]

Yeah, it will give some poor teams a place in the WC, but I think the alternative that Platini responded to was to take some of the European and South American places and give them to Asia, Africa, Oceania and North America, which would just make the competition even worse.

I read an article some days ago about Blatter wanting to even the numbers across the continents a bit more to make it more of a world cup than today, and that is somewhat fair, especially considering the popularity in other places now.

It's probably a bit old school to think that Europe and SA should have so many places in the WC, and I think the development towards another system will take place - and it makes sense to expand the WC rather than making it less competitive.