UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF Oppose Expanding World Cup to 64 Teams Amid Broader Rift with FIFA
According to The Times, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, along with the presidents of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF, have opposed FIFA's proposal to expand the World Cup from 48 to 64 teams. The opposition comes amid a significant rift between UEFA and FIFA, highlighted by Čeferin's unprecedented absence from the World Cup final due to the Balogun scandal. UEFA criticized FIFA's decision to postpone Balogun's red card suspension as 'unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unjustified,' and expressed unease over political interference after US President Donald Trump revealed he called FIFA President Gianni Infantino about the matter. Additionally, UEFA will not adopt several FIFA rule changes, including red cards for protesting referees or covering mouths. FIFA also faced criticism for exceeding the maximum halftime break by over 12 minutes to stage a Super Bowl-style concert, and for selling record-expensive tickets, with some front-row seats costing $32,970.
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