#Qatar2022 | The words of Arsene #Wenger, from the group stage to the 2026 World Cup

Wenger: "Groups? Whoever thought about football and not politics won"

The words of Arsene Wenger: "World Championship 2026? The structure is still to be decided"

"National teams like France, England and Brazil thought about football and won their first match. They were mentally ready and determined to focus on the competition and not on political demonstrations." Word of Arsene Wenger . 

The director of FIFA's football development sector has released some statements commenting on the outcome of the group stage of the World Cup in Qatar. Many surprises, above all the early elimination of Germany. And the German national team was the protagonist of a gesture of protest at the debut against Japan, then lost: the players lined up for the ritual photo, covering their mouths with their hands. 

A gesture evidently not digested by the FIFA top management and by Wenger, who remarked how the secret of success lies in thinking only of football. "When you play a World Cup, you know you mustn't lose the first match. There are teams that have experience, and who have had results in previous tournaments, such as France, England, Brazil, who thought of football here and won their first match And they were also teams mentally ready and determined to focus on the competition and not on political demonstrations"  explained the former Arsenal player.

Wenger, who spoke at the press conference, then commented on FIFA's intentions for the next World Cup, which will be held in 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the USA: "The structure of the next tournament has not yet been decided," he declared. 

The first big change will be the expansion from 32 to 48 participating teams:  "There is  the option of 16 groups of three teams, but also that of 12 groups of four. Or the 'table' could be divided into two first stages distinguished by 24 teams each. The final decision will be up to next year's FIFA Council,”  he explained.