8.3.05 - The FIFA Executive Committee, meeting, under the chairmanship of FIFA President Joseph Blatter today in Zurich, Switzerland, decided that CONCACAF will receive additional berths to upcoming FIFA World Championships.
The FIFA Exco, whose membership includes CONCACAF President Jack Warner, CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer and CONCACAF Executive Committee Member Isaac Sasso Sasso, decided that that 2006 FIFA Under-19 Women’s World Championship in Russia will be a U-20 competition and that the number of participating teams will be increased from 12 to 16. Therefore CONCACAF will get an additional berth, increasing from two to three. The remaining slots were allocated as follows: Host –1, AFC – 3, CAF – 2, CONMEBOL – 2, OFC –1, UEFA – 4.
The FIFA Exco also ratified the number of slots for each confederation at the next FIFA Women’s World Cup in China 2007: Host – 1, AFC – 2.5, CAF – 2, CONCACAF – 2.5, CONMEBOL – 2, OFC – 1, UEFA – 5.
The committee announced that Korea Republic will host the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Championship, and that the event will increase from 16 to 24 teams. CONCACAF will receive another berth, increasing from three to four for the FIFA event. The other places were allocated among the Confederations as follows: Host – 1, AFC – 4, CAF – 4, CONMEBOL – 4, OFC – 2, UEFA – 4, and one additional place for the confederation of the winning team in the 2005 U-17 tournament.
