MANCHESTER, England (AP) — A super-sized World Cup has paved the way for tiny Curaçao and Cape Verde to book their places at sport’s biggest global event next year.

Just as FIFA president Gianni Infantino predicted.

It was back in 2017 when world soccer's governing body announced controversial plans to expand the sport's flagship tournament from 32 teams to 48 in 2026. It would create opportunities, Infantino explained, for countries that “would never have dreamed to participate” in a World Cup.

“This is the best feeling,” Scotland coach Steve Clarke said Tuesday night after his country's first qualification since 1998 . “We’re there ... fantastic moment.”

Some claimed the expansion was politically motivated. There were concerns about a dilution of quality and drama due to the ex

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