World Cup
‘We have to dream’, former Super Eagles Troussier says, backing World Cup expansion
Philippe Troussier, the well-travelled French coach who qualified the Super Eagles to France ‘98 and has been in charge of eight mostly minor national teams over his long career, has thrown his weight behind the expansion of the World Cup finals to 48 sides from 2026.
The 68-year-old Parisian, who earned the nickname the ‘White Witch Doctor’ while working with teams in Africa before leading Japan at the 2002 World Cup finals, believes the move will bring positive benefits far beyond the confines of the game.
“It will create a big impact, not only for the countries that are able to go to the World Cup, but it will develop the country,” Troussier, who was recently appointed as Vietnam coach, told Reuters.
“When you know your country has no hope, even less than 1% to go to the World Cup, why develop the pitches? Why pay a foreign coach? Why start a technical programme for the youth?
“You have no dream. And we have to dream. We have to hope.”
Plenty of traditionalists are unhappy at the increase in the size of the tournament from the 32 teams that have contested every World Cup since 1998, arguing the quality of the competition will be diluted as a result.
For the likes of Troussier, who has coached mainly in Africa and Asia over the last 35 years, the prospect of more nations from outside Europe and South America qualifying for the finals is a major positive.
“With 48 teams, eight in Asia and especially in Southeast Asia, then teams can dream,” he said.
“Personally I support this project.”
Despite the huge popularity of football in the region, no Southeast Asian nation has qualified for the World Cup since Indonesia – then the Dutch East Indies – made an appearance at the finals in 1938.
Troussier has been tasked with changing that as he looks to build on the work done by Korean Park Hang-seo, who took Vietnam through to the final phase of Asian qualifying for the first time in 2021.
“That’s why the Vietnam Football Federation have created a special budget and frankly I have all the facilities to complete my job and they believe in me,” he said.
“They provide to the national team all my requests. I really have enjoyed my moment here and I feel like I did when I was in Japan.”
POWERFUL NATIONS
Troussier believes the enlarged format, which begins with the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, could also work to the advantage of traditionally powerful nations, many of whom have stumbled during the group phase at the tournament.
“I understand when people ask why you would want the World Cup to go to 48 teams,” he said
“But in this case we have to consider the real World Cup will not start at the first stage, because how many big teams will go out like they did in the old format?”
Troussier points out that defending champions France were eliminated in the group phase in 2002 while Spain and Germany were knocked out early in 2014 and 2018 respectively having won the trophy four years earlier.
“At the beginning of the process the high-level teams need time,” he added.
“In this format they can make it a warm-up and that’s why we can consider the real World Cup will start after two weeks.
“Every four years it is a big festival and if you’re a small country you can work a lot and have a lot of hope. For me this process is important to develop youth, to develop football infrastructure, coaches. I think it is important.”
-Reuters
World Cup
As major global sporting events beckon, Morocco’s monarch launches the Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed rail project
As Morocco continues to attract global visitors, especially in the sporting segments, infrastructural development is ongoing.
The latest is the Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Line (LGV) at Rabat-Agdal train station, paving the way for a new era of ultra-modern rail infrastructure across the country.
The project was launched on Thursday by the monarch, King Mohammed VI. Apart from being a centre of major sporting events, Morocco recently launched a tourism initiative that will make the kingdom the ultimate destination.
The internal transport system is being overhauled. The 430-kilometre project forms part of a $9.6 billion railway development program that will transform the country’s transportation network.
It will be recalled that the 2030 FIFA World Cup is being co-hosted by Morocco along with Spain and Portugal.
It is the first ever transcontinental edition of the World Cup, which also marks the 100th anniversary of the global championship.
According to information from the Moroccan News Agency (MAP), the Kenitra-Marrakech LGV reflects Morocco’s strategic vision for sustainable development, particularly the promotion of low-carbon collective mobility solutions.
“This project demonstrates Morocco’s firm determination to continue developing the national rail network,” said an official statement during the ceremony, noting the railway’s role as “the backbone of a sustainable and inclusive transport system.”
The high-speed line will connect Rabat, Casablanca, and Marrakech while serving Rabat and Casablanca airports.
It will drastically reduce travel times, with journeys between Tangier and Rabat taking just one hour, Tangier to Casablanca 1 hour 40 minutes, and Tangier to Marrakech 2 hours 40 minutes — saving over two hours compared to current durations.
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Saudi Arabia would be ready and willing to host a 64-team World Cup in 2034 if FIFA accepts a controversial proposal to expand the tournament from 48, according to the kingdom’s sports minister.
South America’s CONMEBOL has officially suggested staging the centenary 2030 World Cup in Spain, Portugal and Morocco with 64 teams, but the idea has been opposed by some other continental confederations.
Next year’s tournament, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will have 48 countries participating, up from 32 in 2022.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal told a select group of reporters at the Saudi Arabian Formula One Grand Prix in Jeddah that his country would have no objection to an increase in the numbers for 2034.
“We’re ready, or we will be ready, inshallah (God willing). If that’s a decision that FIFA takes and thinks that that’s a good decision for everyone, then we’re more than happy to deliver on it,” he said.
He pointed to the infrastructure already in place for Islamic pilgrims, with four million people attending Mecca for Umrah during Ramadan this year and five million expected for the Hajj.
FIFA expected to confirm Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup hosts – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – December 11, 2024 A model of the proposed Roshn Stadium is seen inside the Saudi Arabia World Cup bid exhibition REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo
The global soccer governing body officially announced Saudi Arabia as hosts of the 2034 men’s World Cup in December, a bid that was uncontested but strongly criticised by rights organisations.
The Kingdom has invested heavily in sport over the last few years, but critics accuse it of ‘sportswashing’ its human rights record. The country denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws.
The bid book pledged 15 stadiums, new or refurbished, by 2032 and which are expected to be completed with the help of migrant labour.
Al-Faisal said worker safety was of the highest priority and Saudi organisers were talking regularly with FIFA and 2022 hosts and neighbours Qatar, the first World Cup in the region, to learn from their experience.
He said the death, reported last month, of a worker at the Aramco Stadium construction site in Al Khobar had come after millions of hours without issue.
“Every incident we take seriously, we file an investigation, we look what went wrong,” said the minister. “Unfortunately, in construction, these things happen.”
He said Saudi Arabia was part of the International Labour Organisation and a 2021 Labour Reform Act had abolished the kafala system that binds migrant workers to one employer and prevents them from leaving without the employer’s approval.
Alcohol, prohibited for observant Muslims, is banned in Saudi Arabia and Al-Faisal confirmed the World Cup would be dry.
“The law now here in Saudi is that there’s no alcohol. Will that change in the future? We don’t know. But I don’t see it really affecting our sporting events at all,” he said.
“We’ve had more than 100 international events so far. We’ve had people come from all over the world to attend these sporting events. And everyone’s happy with the hospitality, the setup, the experience that they get.
“I don’t see it as an issue, to be honest. So I hope it’s not going to be an issue”.
Alcohol was not sold at stadiums in Qatar, where drinking in public is illegal, in 2022 but beer was available at designated fan zones and in some hotels.
-Reuters
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A 64-team World Cup in 2030 should not be considered, CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani has said, joining some other confederations in opposing a plan presented by CONMEBOL.
CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez last week officially proposed staging the 2030 World Cup with 64 teams, up from the 48 set to take part in next year’s edition, with the tournament to be hosted largely by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.
The opening matches will take place in Uruguay, where the first World Cup was hosted in 1930, along with Argentina and Paraguay.
“I don’t believe expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues, and players,” Montagliani told ESPN, opens new tab.
CONCACAF did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The CONMEBOL plan would have a long way to go for approval, with the 48-team 2026 edition already expanded from the 2022 tournament, when 32 countries took part.
The 2026 tournament is set to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
“We haven’t even kicked off the new 48-team World Cup yet, so personally, I don’t think that expanding to 64 teams should even be on the table,” said Montagliani.
His comments echoed complaints by UEFA boss Aleksander Ceferin, who this month voiced opposition to the idea, and Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, who told AFP, opens new tab he fears expansion would lead to chaos.
-Reuters
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