Platini Wants World Cup Expanded to 40 Countries, including More Asian and African Teams

The Frenchman has responded to Fifa president Sepp Blatter's recent comments, agreeing that more African and Asian teams should play in the competition

Uefa president Michel Platini has suggested that the World Cup should be expanded to 40 teams to include more Asian and African representatives, starting from 2018 in Russia.

Sepp Blatter has already stated that he wants more non-European teams at the World Cup and Platini agrees with the Fifa chief that it would be fruitful to have more African and Asian sides at the finals, although feels the best solution would be to expand the competition rather than to take away places from Europe.

"I totally agree with Sepp Blatter that we need more African and Asian teams. It would be good for everybody," Platini told The Times.

"But instead of taking away some European spots, we have to expand to 40 teams.

"For example, we can add two African, two Asian, two American, one Oceania and one from Europe."

Europe currently hold 13 of the 32 World Cup spots, whereas Africa have to settle for five places and Asia for four or five, depending on whether they qualify via a play-off against a South American team.

The World Cup was expanded from 24 to 32 teams in 1998 after a previous expansion from 16 to 24 in 1982.