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FIFA looks into WCup co-hosting

FIFA continues the push to expand the 2022 World Cup to 48 teams, considering Kuwait and Oman becoming co-hosts with Qatar, which remains in the middle of a complicated diplomatic standoff with several Arab neighbors.

Qatar’s infrastructure is already stretched for the Middle East’s first World Cup , and FIFA President Gianni Infantino wants to add 16 more countries to the planned 32-team tournament. That’s too many games for the eight stadiums spread over just a 30-mile radius in Qatar, a tiny nation with just 2.7 million people, most of them foreign workers.

Infantino has been lobbying for an expanded 2022 tournament for months, even suggesting some games in Saudi Arabia, which is leading the bitter isolation campaign with several Arab neighbors against Qatar. Kuwait has been trying to mediate the crisis.

FIFA is now looking at Kuwait and Oman, a person with knowledge of the situation told the AP on condition of anonymity because the talks are confidential. Infantino visited Kuwait last month and Oman on Sunday.

Kuwait and Oman have have remained neutral in the diplomatic battle, which began in June 2017. Other Gulf countries launched a boycott of Qatar over accusations it supports extremist groups, which Doha denies.

The principle of expanding the World Cup has already been agreed by FIFA members, with 48 teams planned for the 2026 World Cup being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Nashville names coach

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville has named Gary Smith head coach for its inaugural Major League Soccer season, sticking with the man currently coaching the franchise’s USL team to oversee the transition.

Ian Ayre, Nashville’s chief executive officer, said in a statement Wednesday that the search for an MLS coach kept returning to Smith as the best candidate for the team needing someone who understands the U.S. game with experience working with both U.S. and international players.

Smith won the MLS Cup title in 2010 as head coach of the Colorado Rapids, the first and only English coach to win the MLS title.

He was hired in April 2017 to coach the Nashville in the USL, and he led Nashville to the USL Cup playoffs and was one of three non-MLS teams to reach the round of 16 in the U.S. Open Cup.

Porto advances

PORTO, Portugal — Alex Telles scored a penalty in extra time to send Porto into the Champions League quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory over Roma on Wednesday, overturning a one-goal deficit from the first leg.

Telles converted the spot kick two minutes from time after Alessandro Florenzi had been penalized following a video review for pulling back Fernando.

That sent Porto through 4-3 on aggregate and left Florenzi in tears at the final whistle. The Italy defender was consoled by Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Man U stuns PSG

PARIS — Marcus Rashford’s injury-time penalty sent Manchester United through to the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday, securing a 3-1 win at Paris Saint-Germain to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg.

Referee Damir Skomina awarded the penalty after a lengthy video review that showed defender Presnel Kimpembe jumping up to block Diogo Dalot’s shot with his elbow. Rashford kept his nerve, blasting the ball past Gianluigi Buffon to send the United fans to his left into raptures.

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