The FIFA Council has rubber-stamped plans to expand the World Cup to 48 teams from 2026 onwards.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino's revamp plan received unanimous backing.

The proposal was to have 16 groups of three, followed by a 32-team knock-out, which will increase the number of games from 64 to 80 but ensures the tournament remains at 32 days.

The president has further suggested that penalty shoot-outs be brought in to settle the results of all drawn games, thereby minimising the risk of teams colluding in their final games to eliminate others from the tournament.

Delegates in Zurich were asked to vote on four proposals to change the existing format or stick with the current format of 32 teams.

This is the first time since the 1998 World Cup that changes have been made to the make-up of the tournament, with the 2026 competition set to feature 16 groups of three.