Infantino Mocks Italy's World Cup Absence, Suggests Expansion Might Help Qualification

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has stirred controversy with remarks about Italy's repeated failure to qualify for the World Cup. Speaking to Brazilian television channel CazéTV before the opening match, Infantino quipped about the possibility of expanding the tournament to help the four-time champions secure a spot.

"Perhaps Italy would qualify with 64 teams. I could expand it to 228 just to see if they qualify," Infantino said, referencing the current expansion to 48 teams. This comment was made in a relaxed setting but quickly went viral in Italy after being disseminated by various sports outlets, leading to significant criticism of the FIFA chief.

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Perhaps Italy would qualify with 64 teams. I could expand it to 228 just to see if they qualify.

Infantino's comments come after Italy missed out on the World Cup for the third consecutive edition. The president later clarified his position, noting that the expansion to 64 teams was discussed within FIFA. He suggested that such an expansion would not necessarily increase the number of matches but would allow for broader global participation. The remarks, however, have been perceived by many in Italy as dismissive of the national team's struggles.

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The point is that even with 64 teams there would not necessarily be more matches, or there would be the same number of matches but with ever wider participation of teams from all over the world. I don't know.