- Title: FIFA chief Infantino suggests 48-team World Cup
- Date: 3rd October 2016
- Summary: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (OCTOBER 3, 2016) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** GENERAL VIEW OF FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO IN PRESENTATION WITH WORLD SOCCER OFFICIALS AND COLOMBIAN SOCCER OFFICIALS INFANTINO SITTING ON STAGE VARIOUS OF INFANTINO ON STAGE BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (OCTOBER 2, 2016) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FIFA PRESIDENT, GIANNI INFANTINO, SAYING: "Soccer has the force to give positivity to the people. This education project that is being launched here through soccer education - it is to learn to win, to lose, to learn many essential aspects of life. It is a truly exciting and interesting project." CHILDREN IN AUDIENCE INFANTINO SAYING GOOD-BYE TO PEOPLE GENERAL VIEW OF INTERIOR OF MUSEUM HOUSING SOCCER MEMORABILIA CLEATS BALLS ON DISPLAY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) STUDENT LEADER AT THE SERGIO ABROLEDA UNIVERSITY, RODRIGO ALVARADA, SAYING: "It is important to have the President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, and all the presidents of the soccer confederations here in South America supporting this project and helping the Sergio Arboleda University. We believe that soccer is a great education tool and Sergio Arboleda is a pioneer in bringing us soccer as a tool of education, of transformation, a tool to create integrated competitors." VARIOUS OF THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE NEW COLOMBIAN FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION
- Embargoed: 18th October 2016 22:12
- Keywords: Gianni Infantino World Cup 48 teams
- Location: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
- City: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
- Country: Colombia
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00152GCCVZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: FIFA president Gianni Infantino, whose election promises included expanding the World Cup finals to 40 countries, on Monday (October 3) proposed an even larger tournament involving 48 teams.
However, he suggested that 16 of those teams would go home after just one knockout match, and the remainder of the tournament would be played, as now, with a 32-team group stage, followed by a knockout phase.
Infantino, speaking during an event at Bogota's Sergio Arboleda University, said a final decision would be taken by the FIFA Council in January, Colombian media reported. A FIFA spokesperson confirmed that the reports were accurate.
Infantino did not make his comments about a 48-team World Cup on camera, but he was quoted as saying: "These are ideas to find the best solution, we will debate them this month and we will decide everything by 2017."
During his time in Bogota, he also spoke about a new programme in development at the Sergio Arboleda University called The Integrated Competitor. The program aims to blend sports values with business and management values.
"Soccer has the force to give positivity to the people. This education project that is being launched here through soccer education - it is to learn to win, to lose, to learn many essential aspects of life. It is a truly exciting and interesting project," Infantino said.
Rodrigo Alvarada, a student leader at the university, said the institution was happy to have Infantino's support.
"It is important to have the President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, and all the presidents of the soccer confederations here in South America supporting this project and helping the Sergio Arboleda University. We believe that soccer is a great education tool and Sergio Arboleda is a pioneer in bringing us soccer as a tool of education, of transformation, a tool to create integrated competitors," he said.
According to the school, the new programme seeks to identify 33 qualities needed in soccer that can also be applied to business, including: ethics, teamwork, autonomy, commitment, acceptance of failure, achievement orientation and respect. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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