P311 CEEFAX 311  Fri 20 May  21:22/35
                               
      FOOTBALL: WORLD CUP      
                EXPANDS        
 
  FIFA today rubber-stamped the       
  decision to increase the number of  
  World Cup finalists from 24 to 32   
  in 1998.                            
                                      
  UEFA, currently guaranteed 11 of    
  the 24 places, has proposed a new   
  format giving the other four        
  confederations one extra place.     
  
  The remaining four places would     
  depend on results of the finals     
  starting in America next month.     
                                      
  But general secretary Sjpp Blaster  
  said no decision on how to allocate 
  the extra places would not bj taken 
  until the end of the year.          
5-,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.
 Round-up   England  Ferdinand  Friedel