To football news from off the pitch as FIFA's executive committee is meeting Thursday and Friday in Zurich. The controversial proposal from the president of the sport's world governing body, Gianni Infantino, for a 48-team tournament will come under the microscope when the decision makers at FIFA discuss the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup.

The FIFA Council will decide on basic questions such as the size of the tournament and which continents are eligible. A decision was due this week under the timeline drawn up in May, but Infantino has now said that discussions will continue until January. Infantino, elected in February to replace the disgraced Sepp Blatter, promised during his campaign to increase the World Cup to 40 teams. The vote for who will host the 2026 World Cup is set for 2020, with FIFA member federations to choose from a shortlist drafted by the ruling council.