FIFA explores Kuwait, Oman as 2022 WCup co-hosts

FIFA continues the push to expand the 2022 World Cup to 48 teams, considering Kuwait and Oman becoming co-hosts with Qatar, which remains in the middle of a complicated diplomatic standoff with several Arab neighbors.

Qatar's infrastructure is already stretched for the Middle East's first World Cup , and FIFA President Gianni Infantino wants to add 16 more countries to the planned 32-team tournament. That's too many games for the eight stadiums spread over just a 30-mile radius in Qatar, a tiny nation with just 2.7 million people, most of them foreign workers.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino holds the official ball of the upcoming Women's Soccer World Championship as he poses for photographers during a press conference at the end of an executive committee meeting in Rome, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019. [Photo: AP]

Infantino has been lobbying for an expanded 2022 tournament for months, even suggesting some games in Saudi Arabia, which is leading the bitter isolation campaign with several Arab neighbors against Qatar. Kuwait has been trying to mediate the crisis.

FIFA is now looking at Kuwait and Oman, a person with knowledge of the situation told the AP on condition of anonymity because the talks are confidential. Infantino visited Kuwait last month and Oman on Sunday.

Kuwait and Oman have have remained neutral in the diplomatic battle, which began in June 2017. Other Gulf countries launched a boycott of Qatar over accusations it supports extremist groups, which Doha denies.

The principle of expanding the World Cup has already been agreed by FIFA members, with 48 teams planned for the 2026 World Cup being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Infantino first announced in April that he wanted to fast-track the expansion to 2022 , even though Qatar couldn't cope with 16 more games.

Saudi Arabia has been leading the economic and travel boycott of Qatar with the United Arab Emirates, so holding games in those countries would be problematic. Infantino discussed that during a meeting with Saudi sports leaders at a meeting in Zurich last Thursday, the person with knowledge of the situation said. The top sports government official in the UAE on Wednesday acknowledged the fraught political climate currently impedes his country becoming part of Qatar's tournament plans.

"As far as the co-hosting, currently with the crisis on, I think Kuwait can play a very important role," Maj. Gen. Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithi, chairman of the UAE General Authority for Sports, told the AP. "They have one big international stadium, and they are building two extra stadiums. That could solve the problem and it would easier for the Qataris if the crisis is resolved because you (could) have Saudi Arabia and the UAE."

The World Cup is already operating in a curtailed 28-day period from Nov. 21-Dec. 18, 2022 after it was shifted from the usual June-July slot to avoid Qatar's fierce summer heat. Qatar is building just eight stadiums for a 64-game tournament. Twelve would be necessary for 48 teams playing 80 games.

Kuwait has the 65,000-capacity Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium to host World Cup games, but there is a complete ban on alcohol in the nation. Qatar has exemption that allows foreigners to drink alcohol, but it has yet to confirm how available it will be in stadiums. Budweiser is a major FIFA sponsor.

Oman's biggest stadium has 34,000-capacity stadium, which is short of FIFA's minimum requirement of 40,000 seats.

FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani wants the governing body's ruling council to decide whether to expand to 48 teams at a meeting in Florida next week.