FIFA has rubber-stamped plans to expand the World Cup to 48 teams, brushing aside concerns that enlargement could lower standards. <br /><br /> Football’s international governing body unanimously approved the changes at its headquarters in Zurich earlier on Tuesday.<br /><br /> The new format will see 16 groups of three teams, followed by a 32-team knock-out. <br /><br /> The changes mark the first expansion since 1998 and will come into affect in 2026. <br /><br /> Former French striker David Trezeguet said: ‘‘Having been a player myself, I think this could give some countries a lot of opportunities, especially the players who are not familiar with this beautiful competition. From that point of view I think it’s a great idea. Of course we still need to work out the detail but at the same time this could be something exceptional.’‘<br /><br /> But critics have labelled FIFA’s World Cup expansion as a power and money grab. It’s estimated that increasing the number of nations to 48 could rake in around an extra 600 million euros per tournament. <br /><br /> The number of matches in the new format will rise from 64 to 80, though the eventual winners of the competition will still only play seven games.<br />
