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LONDON -- A bigger World Cup in 2026 will boost North Americas chances of hosting the tournament, the president of the CONCACAF region told The Associated Press. Trae Elston Jersey .FIFA President Gianni Infantino earlier this week raised the prospect of adding another 16 teams to make it a 48-team tournament, a move that would reduce the pool of countries with sufficient infrastructure.From a 2026 perspective, pick a number (of finalists) and North American can handle it, Victor Montagliani, president of the North and Central America and Caribbean soccer confederation, said Tuesday in an interview. A CONCACAF bid would be strong regardless of what number we finally set on.The World Cup was last staged in the CONCACAF region by the United States in 1994. The Americans are eager to get another shot at hosting in 2026, potentially linking up with neighbors Canada and Mexico.Is there an opportunity to combine the three countries? Perhaps. We dont know that yet, said Montagliani, a FIFA vice president. There have been zero formal discussions. We are not there yet.After the troubled bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, which sparked years of corruption investigations, FIFA will be hoping for a smoother vote for 2026. Originally earmarked for 2017, the decision by the FIFA membership is now not due until 2020.With Africa, South America, Europe and Asia hosting the World Cups between 2010 and 2022, it had been widely accepted that it should be North Americas turn for the first time since 1994.FIFAs statues currently prevent consecutive World Cups being staged on the same continent, but China could yet seek to follow 2022 host Qatar. Chinese conglomerate Wanda signed up as a top-tier FIFA sponsor in March saying it wanted to be better placed to help decide where future editions of the World Cup are awarded.There has to be some sort of rotation or else you look what is happening with the Olympics, Montagliani said, referring to Tokyo hosting the 2020 Olympics between the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and Beijing.I dont think its a good thing that it keeps on going to one area. Its not a World Cup that belongs in one region. So I think so sort of rotation needs to occur because the World Cup belongs to the world and we need to respect that.Montagliani applauded Infantino for thinking outside the box by floating the idea of a 48-team World Cup.There are traditionalists in the game who I think, if it was up to them, would still have a 16-team World Cup, Montagliani said in an interview in London. The reality is that the World Cup is not just an economic beast, but a product that inspires hope for countries. So if we can improve it, make it bigger without losing its romanticism, why not?Before FIFA settles on a new format, Montagliani is sure there will be an exhaustive process of review and cost benefit analysis. The format and bidding process will begin to be discussed next week when Infantino chairs a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich.In outlining one potential format earlier this week, Infantino said, you could have a tournament in which the 16 best teams advance to a group stage and the other 16 will came out of a `playoff ahead of the group stage, and the World Cup could end up with 48 teams.The more pressing issues for FIFA center on the 2018 World Cup with the spotlight increasingly on Russia over racism and doping in sport, and the involvement in the war in Syria.Montagliani sees no need to strip Russia of the World Cup.Its a very delicate situation because we are a sport, he said. You try to as much as possible stay out of the geopolitics of the world because its a just a dangerous thing (to mix) and so it is a bit of walking a tightrope.The contentious dual votes on the 2018 and 2022 World Cups sparked years of criminal investigations and FIFA inquiries.FIFA said there was not sufficient evidence to warrant removing their countrys hosting rights. But before being banned and ousted from the FIFA presidency, Sepp Blatter said last year that American authorities would not have indicted more than 40 people in its soccer investigation had it not been for the 2010 vote outcome.To Montagliani it was the tipping point, providing an opportunity to clean the game.In some regards maybe the best thing that happened in football was Russia and Qatar, Montagliani said in a speech Wednesday at the Leaders sports business conference in London.---Rob Harris is at www.twitter.com/RobHarris and www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReports Daeshon Hall Jersey .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Anthony Rush Jersey .J. -- Josh Cribbs was in the Pro Bowl in February and out of a job six months later. http://www.cheapeaglesjerseysauthentic.c...-mailata-jersey . -- Aaron Murray threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns, ran for another score, and led No. LOS ANGELES -- Even as their leads expand to 30 and sometimes 40 points, the Clippers swear theyre not paying attention to the spread.For the NBAs best team, its all about consistency.Chris Paul had 21 points and nine assists and Blake Griffin added 20 points in a 127-95 rout of the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night that improved the Clippers to 10-1 with their seventh straight victory.We have a singular focus, Paul said. No excuses, we said were going to come out the same way every night. Its all about playing the right way. We got to keep building.Los Angeles came in having outscored opponents by an average of 15.1 points, largest in the league. Brooklyn quickly found itself relegated to the Clippers growing scrap heap.Its actually good for our guys to see a team like this, new Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. They can see how well they are playing and their cohesiveness. Theyve been together for a while and theyre executing well. They turned us over and got us out of our game.Bojan Bogdanovic led the Nets with 18 points and Sean Kilpatrick added 14. Brooklyns season-high 22 turnovers led to 35 points by the Clippers.J.J. Redick added 18 points, Luc Mbah a Moute scored 11 points and DeAndre Jordan had 14 rebounds for the Clippers, who shot 53 percent from the floor while extending the best start in franchise history. Their 127 points were a season high.The defense is so good right now our offense is allowed easy baskets, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. Theyre angry when the other team scores.Los Angeles raced to a 35-7 lead to start the game, highlighted by Jordans reverse dunk off Griffins alley-oop pass. The Nets didnt score the rest of their 14 first-quarter points until the last two minutes of the period and finished with their lowest point total in a quarter this season.Brooklyn went on its only run of the game in the second, scoring 10 straight points to close to 51-34.Paul re-entered and hit a 3-pointer that launched a 20-13 spurt to give the Clippers a 71-47 halftime lead.Leading 89-59 in the third, Griffin and Jordan energized the fadingg crowd with consecutive one-handed jams. Godwin Igwebuike Jersey. Griffin stuffed a pass from Redick , and on their next trip up the court, Jordan dunked in front of Justin Hamilton, whose only defense was to stick his arms straight up in the air.The starters work was done after that, with Griffin and Jordan joining Paul, Redick and Mbah a Moute in sitting for good.The Clippers bench increased the lead to 102-71 heading into the fourth, when Griffin was on his feet laughing and pumping his arm in the air.TIP-INSNets: They havent beaten the Clippers in LA since 2010. ... Brooklyn fell to 1-4 on the road. ... G-F Caris LeVert (left foot rehab) and G Jeremy Lin (strained left hamstring) sat out.Clippers: Jordan needs two made free throws for 1,000 in his career. ... G Jamal Crawford, the king of four-point plays , had one in the fourth, making a free throw after getting fouled on a 3-pointer he launched from in front of his teams bench. He fell down and was quickly helped to his feet by giddy teammates. ... Crawford led the bench with 17 points and Raymond Felton had 11. ... Wesley Johnson missed his second straight game with a left heel contusion.LESSON LEARNEDNets rookie reserve guard Yogi Ferrell had a close eye on Paul.Its very interesting playing against Chris Paul, Ferrell said. Im going to continue to be aggressive and push the ball and Im not going to back down from anyone.FIRST POINTSClippers rookie Diamond Stone finished with six points, his first in the NBA. He played the games final eight minutes after making his debut on Oct. 30 against Utah.HE SAID ITCP is into the hardcore metal rock so he gave me a little head bump. -- Jordan on his sideline head knock with Paul in the second half.UP NEXTNets: They remain in town to play the Lakers on Tuesday to complete a back-to-back. The Nets have lost two straight to them.Clippers: Host Memphis on Wednesday, with LA having gone 5-1 in the teams last six regular season meetings. 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