'Best ever World Cup group stages, No more small teams', hails FIFA president Gianni Infantino

The 2022 FIFA World Cup has lived up to its billing in terms of the sporting action. Multiple upsets shocked the world, with top teams falling against seemingly weaker opponents and former world champions getting knocked out in the group stages. The drama has prompted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to hail the group stage of the 2022 competition as the best ever in the history of the competition.

Former champions Argentina, Spain, Germany and Brazil all suffered shock group-stage losses and Africa, Asia and North America were represented in the last 16 along with traditional powerhouses South America and Europe.

Infantino said the matches were played in beautiful stadiums and already attracted a TV audience



in excess of two billion viewers.

"Fantastic atmosphere, great goals, incredible excitement, surprises, small teams beating big teams," he said in comments released by FIFA on Wednesday.

"Well, there are no more small teams and no more big teams. The level is very, very equal," the president said.

"For the first time as well, national teams from all continents going to the knock-out phase, for the first time in history. This shows that football is really becoming truly global."

Infantino has pushed through the expansion of the World Cup from 32 teams to 48 for the next edition, which will be held across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.