The Association of European Leagues and FIFA
Wednesday
The Association of European Leagues has formally rejected proposals to expand the men’s World Cup to 64 teams. The organisation said FIFA should no longer be permitted to make major unilateral decisions that affect domestic leagues, clubs, players and supporters.
The statement adds organised European opposition while FIFA reviews the enlarged format. League representatives argue that further expansion would worsen fixture congestion and undermine existing competitions, increasing pressure on FIFA to abandon the proposal before any formal approval.