Of the 20 finals played since the first edition in Montevideo 87 years ago, 11 have been won by European nations and nine by teams from South America. See the problem?

Exactly. Restrictive.

And as any FIFA official will tell you, cartels are not good for the game.

In the wake of the FIFA Council’s unanimous approval of his proposal to expand the World Cup finals from 32 to 48 teams, FIFA President Gianni Infantino commented: "It is the future. Football is more than just Europe and South America, football is global.

"The football fever you have in a country that qualifies for the World Cup is the biggest promotional tool for football you can have.

"This football promotion, in many parts of the world where today they have no chance to play [at the World Cup], was at the top of our thoughts."

As compere Roy Walker used to say in ITV's Catchphrase - it’s good but it’s not right.

Taking part in the World Cup finals is great, but isn’t it about time the actual trophy got shared around a bit more?

Imagine the football fever that will be created in every corner of the world when the World Cup comes home!

Clearly a big first step has been taken this week - you’ve got to be in it to win it, as they probably say in Catchphrase. But equally clearly some adjustments are going to have to be made.

Over in Australia - a continent incidentally that has so far been locked out of the European/South American World Cup Closed Shop - there has been much creative thinking about re-shaping and re-branding a traditional sport with an even longer history than football, namely athletics.

Next month’s Nitro Athletics event in Melbourne will show evidence of some serious blue sky thinking Down Under as the fortunes of six contending teams will undergo big shifts through innovations such as the "Nitro Power Play" (effectively a double points joker), the "Nitro Steal" (taking 50 per cent of an opponent’s points) and the "Nitro Turbo Charge" (gambling on making a distance in one single long jump.

A large part of the Nitro motivation is to regenerate interest in the core sport - but let’s not let that get in the way of the important themes here: attraction; drama; innovation.

Now FIFA has already shown its willingness in this direction by floating the idea of a penalty shoot-out to nullify the possibility of that canker in the heart of the Beautiful Game - the draw.

Some have said that creating qualifying groups of three teams each will inevitably lead to the creation of draws as teams in the final round seek to accommodate each other. They may be right. They probably are right. But let’s not get bogged down in the detail.

FIFA only needs to go a step or two further to make the whole World Cup tournament more exciting, more volatile and more likely to reward loyal voters - sorry, smaller nations - with the results they so manifestly crave. Yes, we’re talking about handicapping.

Take Germany, for instance. As Infantino was at pains to point out this week after members of the German Football Association decried the possible dilution of quality the new World Cup quota will create, their team will be in the finals whatever the format.

Let’s just take a closer look at these Germans though. The records clearly show that they have played in eight finals - very nearly half! - and won four of them. And there is no indication of any change in their attitude as they prepare for next year’s finals in Russia.

That is getting close to being an unhealthy domination. Brazil’s record here has been even worse. They have appeared in only one fewer finals - but have taken away the Cup for themselves on five occasions, even keeping the Jules Rimet trophy permanently after a third victory in 1970.

This pattern has to change - and giving emerging voters - sorry, nations - a goal or two lead will create the rich, wealthy, sumptuous, plutocratic tapestry of footballing endeavour that stands as the game’s ultimate goal.

Infantino also pointed out to members the German FA that there are "many, many players in the Bundesliga from all around the world, and it’s nice for these players as well to maybe have the possibility to participate once in their lifetime in the biggest event in the world".

Again, it’s good, but it’s not right.

These individuals must have the chance not just to take part, but to win. After all, isn’t that the message of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the second best sporting competition on the planet, the Modern Olympics (source @realtrump)?

Of course, the fine print needs to be sorted out. Clearly the extra 16 teams who will take part in 2026 will require the greatest assistance as they seek to generate genuine revenue, that is, genuine excitement.

Because, as the new President has made clear, football is all about promotion.

But not, of course, relegation. Don’t worry. FIFA will get round to that.

It is just unfortunate that a printing error should have crept into the branding around this week’s historic meeting in Zurich.

 The slogan "FIFA - The Best" should of course have read "FIFA - The Biggest".