Berlin (dpa) – Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge believes leading clubs will soon need squads of up to 40 players if authorities continue with football expansion plans.

Rummenigge told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung to appear Sunday squads used to contain 16, 17 or 18 players during his playing days.
«Today 25 to 30 are necessary. Soon we’ll need maybe 40 if FIFA and UEFA continue in this manner,» he said.

Rummenigge criticised the increase of friendly, qualifying and tournament matches for national teams. As head of the European Club Association ECA he will oppose a plan by Gianni Infantino, the president of governing body FIFA, to expand the World Cup to up to 48 teams.

Rummenigge said his opposition was «exclusively about the health» of the players. Earlier this month he criticised the last international break as a disruption to club football.

Infantino was meanwhile quoted Friday in an Italian media interview as saying he would like to expand the Club World Cup into a global event featuring 32 teams and move it from its current December time slot.