Xavi says 48-team Qatar World Cup would be too long
By Sudipto Ganguly
MUMBAI, March 19 (Reuters) - Former Spain midfielder Xavi Hernandez says FIFA should abandon a 提案 to 増加する the number of teams at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 from 32.
The World Cup will feature 48 teams for the 2026 版, to be co-hosted by the 部隊d 明言する／公表するs, Mexico and Canada, but FIFA 大統領 Gianni Infantino said last week 増加するing the number of teams for the 2022 tournament was "feasible".
Former Barcelona 広大な／多数の／重要な Xavi, who won the World Cup with Spain in 2010 and is seeing out his career in Qatar with 最高の，を越す-flight club Al Sadd, said 48 teams would not be the 権利 選択 for 2022, however.
"It's too much and too long. Imagine 48 teams in Qatar, it will not be good in my opinion," he told reporters on Monday.
"It's still for the organisers to decide, but for now Qatar is doing everything to 準備する for 32 teams and it will be difficult to change it for more teams. Also, it's good for football to have 32. That's more than enough."
Should FIFA and Qatari organisers agree on a 提案 to 増加する the number of teams, it would be put to a 投票（する） at the FIFA 議会 in Paris on June 5.
Xavi, who was in Mumbai for a 宣伝の event for 世代 Amazing, a 遺産／遺物 programme 始めるd by Qatar 2022 organisers, also 推定する／予想するd Qatar to acquit themselves 井戸／弁護士席 on the field at the tournament.
The tiny 湾 明言する／公表する stunned four-times 支持する／優勝者s Japan to 勝利，勝つ this year's Asian Cup and Xavi was not surprised by their 打開 success.
"I thought the football there was the worst when I first went there," the 39-year-old said. "But they've 改善するd a lot and very quickly since then, everybody saw it at the Asian Cup." (Editing by Peter Rutherford)
