Germany rejects increase in World Cup participating teams

Berlin: German Football Association President Reinhard Grindel has stressed the necessity of maintaining the number of World Cup participants at 32, instead of increasing it to 48.

He voiced his views responding to suggestions made by world governing body FIFA President Gianni Infantino to increase the number of participating nations to 48.

In an interview published at the DFB website on Thursday, Grindel said: "The member associations received the proposals just before Christmas. I think we need a prolonged period of time to discuss them, as individual associations, confederations and then as a whole. A decision shouldn't be rushed through."

He stressed that FIFA will take any decision in this regard to avoid a conflict of interests.

Germany's football chief questioned Infantino's transparency, and suggested that the proposals, which include 40 and 48 nations, have significant deficiencies.