FIFA President Gianni Infantino "dangled the carrot of more World Cup spots for Asia during a visit to Seoul on Wednesday" but while the Swiss was "keen to press his case for an enlarged 40-team tournament, he will not try to twist anyone's arm," according to Do-gyun Kim of REUTERS. Infantino, who arrived in South Korea earlier in the day to meet with sponsor Hyundai, said that his visit "was aimed at rebuilding trust with corporate partners" and presenting his vision of a "new FIFA." Infantino, elected in February to replace Sepp Blatter, told reporters that "adding eight more teams to the World Cup" from '26 was "perfectly justified." Infantino: "Football is not only Europe and South America. Football is the world. I'm not a dictator so I can't impose anything but I'm trying to convince everyone. I believe we have to increase the number of teams... because we have to be more inclusive." Asia currently has four automatic spots at the World Cup, with a fifth up for grabs in an inter-confederation playoff, and Infantino said that number "could rise to at least six under an expanded format" (REUTERS, 4/27).
KOREAN FRIENDLY: The AFP reported Infantino said Wednesday that he was willing to "try and set up a football match between North and South Korea as a way of easing hostility on the divided peninsula." He said that such a match "would highlight the spirit" of football as a game "beyond borders" that can "unify rather than divide." Infantino: "We should bring everyone together around a football pitch ... I’m ready to help and assist in whatever way is necessary." Cross-border relations "have sunk to their lowest level in years." Sporting exchanges "pretty much halted, along with other ties, as relations soured." Infantino said, "Sometimes imagination can come true. Sometimes dreams can come true" (AFP, 4/27).
