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maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 11 JANUARY 2017 20 FIFA president Gianni Infantino's revamp plan received unanimous backing. Delegates in Zurich were asked to vote on four proposals to change the existing format or stick with the current format of 32 teams. This is the first time since the 1998 World Cup that changes have been made to the make-up of the tournament, with the 2026 competition set to feature 16 groups of three. Infantino's preferred option for change was for a 2026 competi- tion featuring 16 groups of three, followed by a 32-team knock-out, increasing the number of games from 64 to 80 but remaining in- side a 32-day schedule. There were also options to have a 40-team tournament, with 10 groups of four or eight groups of five, but the only other 48-team make-up would see a 32-team one-game knockout round with the winners joining 16 already- qualified teams. Infantino has also suggested that penalty shoot-outs be brought in to settle the results of all drawn games, thereby minimising the risk of teams colluding in their fi- nal group games to eliminate oth- ers from the tournament. The Swiss has repeatedly said his main motivation for expan- sion is to give more nations a chance of experiencing the joy of a World Cup, which will bolster international football in devel- oped markets and help its growth in new ones. More details will be announced at the conclusion of Tuesday's meeting - although the allocation of the extra 16 qualification slots under the new format was not ex- pected to be resolved at this point. The African and Asian nations are expecting significant increas- es on their current allocation of four spots apiece. The other major decision re- garding 2026 - who will host the event - is not scheduled for con- sideration until 2020 with a bid featuring the United States, either on its own or in conjunction with one or both of Canada and Mex- ico, the overwhelming favourite. The move has already been met with widespread scepticism, while New FIFA Now, a campaign group seeking changes within how the governing body operates, has claimed the alterations are a "money grab" to help Infantino fund the manifesto which helped him secure the role last year. #NewFIFANow does not sup- port the expansion of the football World Cup to 48 teams, on three grounds," a statement on their website read. "It will dilute the competitive- ness of the tournament and, therefore, the enjoyment of fans. "It will not help development of the game or provide improved competitive opportunities for lower-ranked nations. Instead, it will make a mockery of the quali- fication process for most confed- erations. "It is a money grab and power grab. The aim is to increase rev- enue in order to fund the extrava- gant election promises of the FI- FA President, Gianni Infantino, as well as to consolidate Infantino's personal position. This is straight out of the Joao Havelange and Sepp Blatter playbooks." The statement also urged FIFA to be wary of a possible increase in corruption due to the expan- sion. "FIFA should be focussed on restoring its reputation and cred- ibwility, and strengthening its marquee event, not creating a potentially larger environment for corruption, largesse and back- handers," it continued. "This decision by the FIFA Council today again demon- strates that the wheels are ap- parently still being greased in the same old way and that FIFA is in- capable of reforming itself." Sport SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL FIFA agrees to expand World Cup to 48 teams The FIFA Council has rubber-stamped plans to expand the World Cup to 48 teams from 2026 1930 - Host: Uruguay - 13 teams - 18 matches There was no qualification campaign for the maiden tournament, with every FIFA member invited to take part. But only four European nations made the long trip by sea to South America. The format was four groups, one consisting of four teams and the rest of three. The group winners progressed to the semi-finals. 1934 - Italy - 16 teams - 17 matches Thirty-six teams were whittled down to 16 in qualifying, but reigning champions Uruguay refused to participate. The group stage was scrapped, with the competition settled in a straight knockout format. The 1938 edition was contested via the same process, though only 15 teams took part as qualifiers. Austria were disbanded prior to the tournament after the country was annexed by Germany. 1950 - Brazil - 13 teams - 22 matches Another 16-team tournament was planned but a number of withdrawals left 13 teams competing in Brazil. The groups returned and the quartet of winners progressed into another round-robin stage. This was the only World Cup not to feature a proper final, though the last group game between Brazil and Uruguay ended up being the decider. 1954 - Switzerland - 16 teams - 26 matches There were four teams per group, with the top two progressing to a knockout stage. But instead of a round-robin format in the groups, each team played just two games at that stage with extra-time used in drawn matches. The format was tweaked in 1958, introducing three group games and dropping extra-time until the knockout stages, and that system would remain in place until 1974. 1974 - West Germany - 16 teams - 38 matches The first part remained untouched but the knockout stages were replaced with a sec- ond group stage, with the two winners progressing to the final. The 1978 edition fol- lowed the same format, with the only change being the introduction of penalties as a tie-breaker for the final and the third-place play-off, though neither game required a shoot-out. 1982 - Spain - 24 teams - 52 matches The first major increase of participants delivered another change to the schedule. The first group stage consisted of six pools of four teams, with the second stage changing to four groups of three sides. The winners of each second stage group progressed to the semi-finals, where West Germany's win against France was the first finals game to be decided by penalties. 1986 - Mexico - 24 teams - 52 matches The second stage was switched to a knockout format, with the four best third-placed teams also progressing from the groups. This would remain the format for the next 12 years, though the 1994 competition introduced three points for a win instead of two. 1998 - France - 32 teams - 64 matches A format that will remain in place until Qatar 2022 was introduced. It saw eight groups of four teams, with the top two sides progressing to the knockout stages. 2026 - TBC - 48 teams - 80 matches As well as 16 groups of three followed by a 32-team knockout, a proposal remains in place to decide all drawn matches via penalty shoot-outs. THE MAJOR CHANGES TO THE COMPETITION SINCE IT STARTED IN 1930 FIFA president Gianni Infantino'