"(The) decision will be made between FIFA and Qatar," said Hassan al-Thawadi, the secretary general of Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy. "In case a decision is made it will be due to our willingness and belief in the benefits of the increase. "We are studying (it) in all seriousness and the decision will be next month and it will be final." On Friday training site project manager Ahmed al-Obaidly said that the 41 training sites required for a 32-team World Cup were ready and that any increase in participants would be addressed. FIFA recommended in March that the number of teams should be raised to 48 for 2022, ahead of the planned 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Source: Bangkok Post May 18, 2019 21:22 UTC