Migne: Let’s think of Afcon first, then perhaps Qatar

The possibility of expanding the 2022 Fifa World Cup from 32 teams to 48 has elicited excited talk of Kenya appearing in Qatar.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino told the Asian Football Confederation’s annual congress in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday that bringing forward the expansion plans by four years was possible.

An expanded tournament would see Africa’s allocation rise from five places to nine, a move welcomed by Harambee Stars coach Sebastien Migne.

“If we’ve nine, we’ve a chance,” Migne told Nation Sport on Wednesday.

“But at position 23 in Africa, we are still far, first we need to qualify for the Cup of Nations and other tournaments like the Chan (Africa Nations Championship) to improve our rankings then after we can dream of the World Cup, that’s why I am here to try and help,” added Migne, who has put Kenya on the brink of qualifying for the 2019 continental finals.

“It will be interesting for the players to compete with the best in the world and if you see my selection, I am already planning for the future by calling up several players to prepare them for the high level,” he said.

Former Harambee Stars captain Musa Otieno opined that good preparations and team cohesion could see Kenya qualify for the world football showpiece event.

“We are currently having the best national team comprising young blood. We already have an Afcon chance and this is another one that we can grab,” said Otieno, who captained Stars to the 2004 Afcon.

“We already have the foundation. We need to put our heads together, better our preparations, win our home matches and nothing shall stop us,” said Kenya’s most capped player.

“We have come so close, once or twice, so having nine places for Africa could see Kenya appear at the World Cup,” said Nairobi-based journalist Fredrick Wetindi.