UAE sports chief Mohammed Khalfan al-Romaithi believes the Gulf nation would welcome an approach to co-host the 2022 World Cup if its deep political rift with Qatar is resolved. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has backed a proposal to expand the next World Cup from 32 to 48 teams and has suggested that neighbouring countries could host matches. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, however, launched a diplomatic and trade boycott of Qatar in June 2017. “I think the right way is to solve the problem,” Romaithi, who on Monday stood down from Abu Dhabi’s Executive Council to focus on a bid to run Asian football, told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.