Stadium issues could hamper Oman's hopes

Oman will face a race against time to build a stadium large enough to satisfy FIFA requirements if football's governing body decides to expand the Qatar 2022 World Cup finals and asks the Sultanate to co-host the enlarged tournament.

Oman Football Association president Salem Said Salem Al Wahaibi told Reuters that FIFA president Gianni Infantino has sounded out the country's government over their ability to co-host the event should it be expanded from 32 to 48 teams.

But with Muscat's Sultan Qaboos Stadium falling short of minimum capacity requirements for the World Cup, the Omanis would need to overhaul their biggest stadium to be considered a viable host.

"Mr Infantino visited us and he gave a proposal to the government and they are still thinking about it," said Al Wahaibi on the sidelines of the Asian Football Confederation's congress on Saturday.

A decision on the proposal to expand the World Cup is expected at the FIFA congress in Paris in June.