FIFA approves 48-team World Cup

Controversial proposals to increase the size of the competition have won the backing of the game's governing body, splitting opinion in the football.

FIFA has voted unanimously to expand the World Cup to a 48-team tournament in 2026.

The new format, which will see the finals comprising 16 groups of three teams before a 32-team knockout stage, was voted for unanimously by the FIFA Council at a meeting in Zurich on Tuesday.

President Gianni Infantino had laid out plans for such an expansion as part of his campaign for the top job at world football's governing body last year.

The 37 Council members were asked to select their favourite from five proposals: two involving a 48-team set-up, two 40-team tournaments, and the current 32-team format.

Infantino's proposal had won backing from a number of officials, including Nigerian Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick, who said on Monday that "most of Africa is excited about it".