Belarus Criticizes Inclusion of 48 Teams in 2026 World Cup

Former vice-president of Moscow’s “Lokomotiv” club, Yuriy Belo’us, commented on the participation of 48 national teams in the final stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He shared his views during an interview with the publication “Euro-Football.Ru.”

Belo’us noted that whether fans support this decision or not is no longer relevant, as the decision has already been made. “The point is, Infantino is not satisfied that UEFA is generating more revenue compared to FIFA.

Therefore, this expansion will lead to the inclusion of more countries. The only positive aspect is the popularization of football.

Previously, many nations that couldn't even dream of reaching the World Cup have now secured a spot,” he said. Additionally, Belo’us congratulated Uzbekistan's national team: “This team has achieved significant growth.

I believe they will not remain a ‘team that came to lose’ at the World Cup,” the expert added. It should be recalled that 48 national teams will participate in the final stage of the 2026 World Cup.

In comparison, the 2022 tournament held in Qatar featured 32 teams in the group stage. Read “Zamin” on Telegram!