At this stage, the tournament will feature 16 groups of three teams, instead of the normal eight groups of four teams.

Sixteen teams will be knocked out after the first round of matches, leaving the tournament with 32 teams, which will be played in the same format since the 1998 World Cup in France.

The number of tournament matches will rise to 80, from 64, but the eventual winners will still play only seven games.

The tournament will also be completed in just 32 days.

“If you play the final, you play seven games in 32 days, exactly as is the case now.

“There is no downside for the players, there is no downside for the clubs as the calendar is not impacted but there is a big upside for football.

“This is because it allowed sixteen more teams, more countries and more regions in the world to participate in the top competition in the world, which is the World Cup.

The next FIFA World Cup will be in 2018 and will be played in Russia.

Morgan Piek/OFM Sport