<P> Qatar is the smallest nation by area ever to have been awarded a FIFA World Cup--the next smallest by area is Switzerland, host of the 1954 FIFA World Cup, which is more than three times as large as Qatar and only needed to host 16 teams instead of the current 32 . </P> <P> On 12 April 2018, CONMEBOL requested that FIFA expand the 2022 FIFA World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, four years before the 2026 FIFA World Cup as initially planned . FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed willingness to consider the request . However, the FIFA congress rejected the request shortly before the beginning of the 2018 FIFA World Cup . Infantino said the global football governing body would not discuss the possibility of having a 48 - team World Cup, and that they would first discuss the matter with the host country . </P> <P> The qualification process for the 2022 World Cup has not yet been announced . All FIFA member associations, of which there are currently 211, are eligible to enter qualification . Qatar, as hosts, qualified automatically for the tournament . However, Qatar is obliged by the AFC to participate in the Asian qualifying stage as the first two rounds also act as qualification for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup . If they reach the final stage, their choice on whether to continue with World Cup qualifying is subject to FIFA approval . If the hosts choose not to compete, the next - ranked team will advance instead . For the first time after the initial two tournaments of 1930 and 1934, the World Cup will be hosted by a country whose national team has never played a finals match before . </P> <P> The allocation of slots for each confederation was discussed by the FIFA Executive Committee on 30 May 2015 in Zürich after the FIFA Congress . The committee decided that the same allocation as 2014 would be kept for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments: </P>

When does qualifying for world cup 2022 start