No guarantee, but India has better chance to qualify if World Cup expanded to 64 teams, says Bhutia

A 64-team soccer World Cup, which the worldwide governing physique FIFA is mulling, will give India a greater likelihood to qualify for the showpiece however such a transfer may compromise the standard of the video games, Indian legend Bhaichung Bhutia mentioned.

An official proposal to develop the 2030 World Cup to 64 groups, from 48 within the 2026 version, was put ahead by South American governing physique CONMEBOL in April final yr.

FIFA has not taken a call but however its president Gianni Infantino lately mentioned his organisation will study the proposal after this World Cup within the USA, Canada and Mexico. Defending champions Argentina face Spain in the final on Sunday (July 19, 2026) in New York.

The 2030 edition can be primarily co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with the three opening matches to be performed in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay to have fun the centenary of the event. Uruguay hosted the primary World Cup, in 1930.

“From the angle of an Indian soccer fan, I believe it is a welcome transfer to have extra groups. I am not saying India will qualify however India could have a greater likelihood to qualify in the event that they enhance to 64 from 48,” Bhutia mentioned in an unique interview with PTI.

“However that does not imply that the nation needn’t do any work. We’ve to nonetheless get our system, construction, grassroot growth proper and produce extra gamers, deliver extra youngsters to soccer.

“India must deal with qualifying for U-17, U-20 World Cups, then the senior staff, then solely we have now an opportunity like what Uzbekistan and Morocco are doing. They (Uzbekistan, Morocco) are qualifying for the U-17 and U-20 World Cups commonly regardless of being small nations.” On the flip aspect, Bhutia mentioned, “However sure, from the angle of general soccer followers the world over and the worth and the thrill of World Cup, the standard of soccer, I believe, would undoubtedly lower when you have 64 groups taking part in within the World Cup,” mentioned the previous India captain.

Indian ladies’s staff has higher likelihood than males to qualify for World Cup

Bhutia, who was Indian soccer’s poster boy within the first decade of this century earlier than his retirement in 2011, mentioned the nationwide ladies’s staff can qualify for the World Cup ahead of the boys’s aspect. The variety of groups within the 2031 Girls’s World Cup, prone to be co-hosted by USA, Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica, can be elevated to 48 from 32 within the 2027 version.

The Indian ladies’s staff is ranked thirteenth in Asia and 69th on the earth, whereas the boys’s aspect at twenty sixth place amongst Asian nations and 138th globally.

Asian nations will qualify for the 2031 Women’s World Cup through a standalone qualifying spherical for the primary time, and never via the Asian Cup as has been completed earlier. Asia is prone to get eight direct slots for the 2031 Girls’s World Cup. Two extra Asian nations are prone to be included in a 12-nation inter-confederation play-off event for 3 extra 2031 Girls’s World Cup spots.

“I believe Indian ladies’s staff has acquired a lot better likelihood than the boys’s aspect to qualify for the World Cup. However we have to put in additional curiosity in ladies’s soccer. The highest-tier IWL (Indian Girls’s League) has to have extra groups, we’d like totally different leagues for various age teams, arrange a whole lot of grassroots soccer program.

“We have to give ladies extra alternatives and worth. In any other case, why would a lady little one need to play soccer and make a profession out of it. We’ve to assist her to be fully skilled taking part in soccer. Solely then, the mother and father can see an awesome future fore their kids, that’s undoubtedly going to assist the game.” Bhutia additionally gave a thumbs as much as the concept of bringing OCI (Abroad Residents of India) and PIO (Individuals of Indian Origin) gamers to affix the nationwide staff and strengthen it.

“This could undoubtedly assist in quick time period. Proper now we’re undoubtedly struggling when it comes to efficiency and outcomes. So good high quality gamers who’re taking part in within the highest leagues can all the time come and strengthen the staff. However it’s a quick time period factor and for long run, we nonetheless must do proper in a whole lot of issues to develop the game within the nation.

“Additionally, simply because an OCI is participant is taking part in someplace on the earth however will not be actually excellent than any of our gamers, then there isn’t any level (of bringing) the OCI players.”