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 probability 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 12 months.

FIFA has not taken a choice but however its president Gianni Infantino not too long ago mentioned his organisation will look at 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 shall 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 match. Uruguay hosted the primary World Cup, in 1930.

“From the attitude of an Indian soccer fan, I feel it is a welcome transfer to have extra groups. I am not saying India will qualify however India could have a greater probability to qualify in the event that they improve 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 have now to nonetheless get our system, construction, grassroot improvement proper and produce extra gamers, deliver extra children to soccer.

“India must concentrate on qualifying for U-17, U-20 World Cups, then the senior group, 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 usually regardless of being small nations.” On the flip facet, Bhutia mentioned, “However sure, from the attitude of total soccer followers the world over and the worth and the thrill of World Cup, the standard of soccer, I feel, would undoubtedly lower if in case you have 64 groups taking part in within the World Cup,” mentioned the previous India captain.

Indian girls’s group has higher probability 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 girls’s group can qualify for the World Cup before the lads’s facet. The variety of groups within the 2031 Girls’s World Cup, more likely to be co-hosted by USA, Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica, shall be elevated to 48 from 32 within the 2027 version.

The Indian girls’s group is ranked thirteenth in Asia and 69th on the planet, whereas the lads’s facet 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 executed earlier. Asia is more likely to get eight direct slots for the 2031 Girls’s World Cup. Two extra Asian nations are more likely to be included in a 12-nation inter-confederation play-off match for 3 extra 2031 Girls’s World Cup spots.

“I feel Indian girls’s group has bought significantly better probability than the lads’s facet to qualify for the World Cup. However we have to put in additional curiosity in girls’s soccer. The highest-tier IWL (Indian Girls’s League) has to have extra groups, we want completely different leagues for various age teams, arrange a variety of grassroots soccer program.

“We have to give girls extra alternatives and worth. In any other case, why would a lady youngster need to play soccer and make a profession out of it. We have now to assist her to be fully skilled taking part in soccer. Solely then, the mother and father can see an amazing future fore their youngsters, 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 hitch the nationwide group 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 group. However it’s a quick time period factor and for long run, we nonetheless have to do proper in a variety of issues to develop the game within the nation.

“Additionally, simply because an OCI is participant is taking part in someplace on the planet however just isn’t actually excellent than any of our gamers, then there is no such thing as a level (of bringing) the OCI players.”