Fifa president Gianni Infantino has announced that 40 teams will feature at the 2026 Fifa World Cup and Africa will get an additional two slots to the five it already has.

Infantino disclosed this in a media chat following an U-13 exhibition match between FCT and Enugu at the National Stadium, Abuja in climax of his two-day visit to Nigeria on Monday.

The 46-year-old assured Africa that will get no fewer than two of the eight fresh slots in the proposed expanded World Cup event.

“In regards to the expansion of the World Cup and number of slots for African countries and those other countries around the World,” Infantino told media.

“I believe for the World Cup 2026, because World Cup 2018 and 2022 are already decided, there should be 40 teams.

“And out of the eight more there should be at least two slots for African teams. This is what i declared during my campaign and as you know I’m not a dictator but a democratically elected Fifa president, so I have to speak to everyone and listen to everyone as well.”

He reiterated his vow to fulfill all his campaign promises, especially investing more in football development.

“The first was the reforms and they have been implemented. The second is for us to should invest more for football development.

“We have done through by increasing the development fund by four for each member association which had been significantly increased.

“I promised that the secretary general shouldn’t be an European as it was the case in the core history of Fifa.

“The secretary general is African with Samoura and this is good for Africa. It is about time we try to follow words,” he concluded.

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