Aformer chief coach of the Super Eagles, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, has described the recent 48- team format approved for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a big challenge to African teams.
Onigbinde, a former FIFA and CAF technical instructor, said the 48-team format will give Nigeria and other African teams clear opportunity to qualify and participate in the biggest global fiesta.
Speaking to The Point from his base in Ibadan, Oyo State, Onigbinde said Africa with 53 membership slots in FIFA, has the chance to increase the number of participating countries from the continent from five to eight as soon as the new format takes effect.
“In FIFA, Africa is next to Europe in terms of number and we have only five teams representing the continent at the World Cup. The new 48-team format will enhance Africa’s status and give the continent the desired results. It will make African teams to work harder and fight for their rightful positions in global football,” he said.
According to Onigbinde, the format will stir-up African teams to rise up and displace the top contenders in FIFA’s monthly rankings.
“People often complain about the FIFA rankings, because they don’t understand how teams were rated. You cannot beat a lowly rated team 8-0 and expect FIFA to rate you high.
It is only when a country beats a highly rated side that FIFA will increase its ranking. The format will no doubt challenge African teams to upstage any team across the world,” he said. Onigbinde also explained that athlete always get recognition after setting new records or upset the champion in a sprint race.
“You need to beat someone that is higher than you in rank to move up the ladder,” he added. But former international, Chief Olusegun Odegbami, said the approval of FIFA President, Giovanni Infantino’s proposal to expand the World Cup from 32 countries to 48, will give West Africa the chance to host the event.
Odegbami said, “With 16 more teams and more matches to be played over the same period of 32 days as before, the championship would now demand more of everything, stretching the resources of a single host nation to breaking point, and eliminating the poorer nations of the world that should actually be its greatest beneficiaries.
In recent times, we have seen massive protests by the citizens of some host countries, (Brazil in 2014 for example), who believed that the c h a m p i o n s h i p i m p o v e r i s h e s rather than enriches their countries and people.
Beyond these, I see further opportunities and benefits emanating from this new arrangement.” He however said that bidding and hosting procedure for the World Cup will never be the same again, as a new concept will inevitably evolve.
“Neighbouring countries in different continents will have to start thinking of joining forces and combining resources to bid for and host the World Cup of 2026 and beyond. The rotational arrangement between the continents will now be more meaningful and would have gone full circle to return to Africa after 2026. In 2030, it will be Africa’s turn again. West Africa is the most qualified and most ready region in Africa to bid for and host the next African World Cup,” he said.
