NASSAU, Bahamas, (Reuters) – FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s suggestion yesterday that the CONCACAF region should be given an extra automatic qualification spot at the World Cup was met with a swift reply from UEFA president Michel Platini.
CONCACAF, the governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean, currently has three automatic places in the World Cup finals with a fourth team able to qualify through a playoff against a nation from another confederation.
But Blatter, who is seeking a fifth term as president of FIFA, suggested it was time for a change.
“If the World Cup will stay at 32 teams, then CONCACAF should have four teams,” Blatter said to applause from delegates at the CONCACAF congress.
For last year’s World Cup in Brazil, Mexico qualified as the fourth team after beating New Zealand in a two-legged game.
Blatter is up against former Portugal international Luis Figo, Dutch Football Association chief Michael van Praag and Jordanian Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, in the May 29 election.
Both Van Praag and Figo have suggested expanding the size of the World Cup, with the Dutchman proposing a 40-team tournament and Figo a 48-nation event.
