Beijing, May 12 (IANS). The FIFA World Cup 2026 will start from June 11 to be hosted by America, Canada and Mexico. This will be the first World Cup in which 48 teams will participate instead of 32. FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom said on Tuesday that preparations for this World Cup are on the right track. On the tour of China, Mattias Grafstrom said, “Preparations are going very well. We are very excited. There are only a few days left for the tournament to start. I think this first World Cup with 48 teams will be very successful, in which 16 more teams will get a chance to experience the World Cup.”
With this expanded format, it is expected that more countries will get the opportunity to participate in this biggest football tournament, especially the countries of Asia, Africa and North America. However, this has also sparked debate about the huge increase in the total number of matches, the workload on players and the overall balance of the tournament. Grafström believes that the involvement of more countries could have a profound impact on the development of football in the long run. He said, “It is really very difficult to measure the impact of the World Cup on a country, on its grassroots football, at the professional level and on the fans. We are very much looking forward to seeing this tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada. It is going to be very exciting. I am sure that it will generate tremendous passion for football all over the world, and of course in China too.”
On a visit to China’s National Football Youth Training Center, Grafstrom also praised China’s five-tier youth academy system, which includes national, regional, city and county levels. “China is such a big country, you have the national center, but you also need to work in these areas, and also in the cities and counties. I want to congratulate the Chinese Football Association and the Chinese government for creating such a structure,” he said.
Grafstrom expressed hope that China’s youth teams will qualify for FIFA tournaments more regularly. He said, “China has qualified for the Under-17 Women’s World Cup tomorrow, and the men’s Under-17 team has a big match tonight. Now we have an Under-17 World Cup every year, for both boys and girls. I think it’s also a great way to motivate kids, because they get a chance to compete in the World Cup every year. So we hope to see China there, both boys and girls. Obviously, we are with the CFA. We will work together closely on the development of the game and also invest in it. This is the main reason for our visit.”
