Infantino had been keen to expand the 2022 tournament from 32 teams

Fifa has abandoned plans to expand the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 teams and play some games in neighbouring countries.

Gianni Infantino, the Fifa president, had been pushing for the tournament to grow from 32 teams, with some matches being played elsewhere in the Middle East, but has had to accept that it would be too challenging to do so.

He is expected to announce at Fifa’s congress on June 5 in Paris that the 2022 tournament will remain at 32 teams. It will, as previously decided, rise to 48 teams for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The political problems in the Middle East have proved insurmountable for Fifa. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain are blockading