Richard Conway
BBC Radio 5 live sports news correspondent

Fifa’s executive committee will today debate a proposal to expand the World Cup from 32 to 40 teams.

The proposal to expand the tournament comes as executives deliberate over a package of reforms designed to change the culture of the organisation.

The measure to increase the number of participating teams can be enacted by the executive committee alone and would not require the consent of Fifa’s 209 member associations.

If agreed, something which is by no means a certainty, it would not be enacted until 2026. The host nation for that tournament is still to be decided.

Image source, Getty Images

Gary Neville's fellow Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher tweeted his thoughts on the former England defender's move to Valencia, likening it to when one-time Liverpool goalkeeper Pegguy Arphexad moved to Coventry. 

I think that's referred to as banter. And there's more of it.  

"Mondays will not be the same now Gary Neville has left for Valencia job... and we had only just started getting along," says the former Liverpool defender in the Daily Mail. He is, of course, referring to the pair's role on Sky's Monday Night Football. 

Aston Villa boss Remi Garde has also offered his thoughts on Valencia's appointment of Gary Neville as head coach until the end of the season.

“It is a very good opportunity and a first one for him," said Garde.

"One day you have to jump into a job. Valencia is a good club who are in the Champions League.

"I don’t know him personally but I remember him as a player. He is a strong character and he has the right profile to do the job.”

Image source, Getty Images

Slaven Bilic has confirmed that West Ham striker Diafra Sakho will be out for 4-8 weeks. 

Manager Slaven Bilic has said "We are still waiting for the results of his scan, but it will definitely not be a couple of weeks - 4 to 8, maybe longer."

Sakho was injured in the 1-1 draw with West Brom on Sunday. 

Image source, Reuters

Remi Garde is also looking for more impact from winger Adama Traore as his side prepare to face a Southampton side smarting from their 6-1 defeat to Liverpool.

"Adama is very young. He needs to learn. He needs to improve his understanding of the game. He can be very strong in one-versus-ones as he is very fast. He is a nice person - I have the feeling he wants to improve," he said.

“For the last two seasons Southampton have played good football. They have been in trouble in the past but now they are strong Premier League team with a good manager. 

"The defeat yesterday was hard for them and they will probably be looking for revenge on Saturday and we will be prepared for that.” 

South African legal journalist tweets

Pumza Fihlani
BBC News, Johannesburg

Legal expert Mannie Witz has told the BBC that there do not appear to be any grounds to appeal the murder conviction of Oscar Pistorius.

South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that the lower court judge did not correctly apply the rule of dolus eventualis - whether Pistorius knew that a death would be a likely result of his actions.

The only place to make an appeal would be at the Constitutional Court.

It would only hear the matter if:

• The defence can show that Pistorius' rights have been infringed in the way justice was carried out
• Or if the defence can show that hearing the case would be in the public's interest and of national importance.

Mr Witz says as it stands, there are no grounds for either.

Remi Garde continues by discussing his side's perilous league position, with Villa five points adrift at the bottom of the Premier League Table after their 3-2 defeat to Watford last week.

“We know that we have to win games," he said. "We didn’t win the last one. It was a disappointment.

"We should have got a better result. We made too many mistakes and conceded too many goals.

“We are in a big competition and have a tough job to do. To achieve what we want to do we have to be 100% focused.”

Pumza Fihlani
BBC News, Johannesburg

South African law does not make provision for someone to be placed under house arrest for more than five years - soOscar Pistoriuswill definitely go back to prison.

What needs to be established now is for how long.

The minimum sentence for murder is 15 years.

Image source, Getty Images

But the defence can argue that there are compelling circumstances that should be considered, for example his disability - and the fact that the double amputee has already served a year in prison.

Experts think anywhere between 10 and 12 years would be a fair sentence for murder in his case.

Aston Villa manager Remi Garde confirms Jack Grealish will not return for his side's game against Southampton on Saturday.

Grealish was dropped from the first team after reports the 20-year-old visited a Manchester nightclub after Villa's 4-0 defeat to Everton.

Heyneke Meyer says his successor will be in a "wonderful position" because of the country's young talent. 

In a statement, he said:, external "I have greatly enjoyed my time as Springbok coach – although it has been highly pressured at times and especially tough on my family.

“I have put my heart and soul into the job and did my very best. I believe that, overall, I leave the team with much to look forward to in 2016, with new structures in place to ensure the Springboks will remain competitive on the world stage.

“The number of young players that have been blooded over the past four seasons, who chose to remain in South Africa, leave the team in a great position to move on in the next few years."

Image source, Getty Images

Heyneke Meyer took the Springbok helm after the 2011 World Cup and guided South Africa to the semi-finals of this year's World Cup, overcoming the hiccup of the shock loss to Japan in the group stages. 

Eventual champions New Zealand ended South Africa's participation in this year's World Cup, but Meyer's record as Springboks coach is a fine one. 

He coached the team to 34 victories and two draws in 50 matches. During his tenure, the Springboks recorded a 66.7% winning record in Tests and scored 143 Test tries – second only to New Zealand in that time.

Image source, Getty Images

Heyneke Meyer has stepped down as coach of the South African Rugby Union team. 

In a statement, he said “My integrity has always been very important and I feel I can leave with my head held high."

“Thank you to the countless faithful, positive and passionate supporters that have made my job as coach a joy."

You can see the full statement on the SARU website, external. 

Image source, Getty Images

Andy West
Spanish football writer

In his latest BBC Sport column, Spanish football writer Andy West believes Gary Neville "faces big challenges".

In examining the obstacles facing Neville, West writes: "Valencia fans are renowned as the most volatile and fickle in Spain, and their immediate reaction to the news Neville will be their manager was positive, but not without dissent.

"At the time of this article's publication, a majority of fans - 71% - had voted in favour of his appointment in a website poll held by local newspaper Superdeporte. , external But that still leaves plenty of supporters who are opposed to his arrival."

Image source, Getty Images

As we know from the back pages, one of the other sport stories dominating the day is Gary Neville's appointment as Valencia manager, and Sir Alex Ferguson believes his former Manchester United defender can be a success.

Ferguson said: "His leadership skills are strong, he's honest and he's hard working.

"He is the type of character who is not afraid of making big decisions, which is a vital skill when leading. I think he'll do well and I wish him, and his brother Phil, good luck."

For those wondering what's happened to brother Phil, who joined the La Liga club as assistant manager in July, he will stay on the coaching staff.  

Image source, Getty Images

You can follow live coverage of the latest on Oscar Pistorius by clicking here. 

Judge Lorimer Leach at the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein has said that in the interest of justice, the manslaughter conviction ofOscar Pistoriusfor killing his girlfriendReeva Steenkampmust be set aside and replaced with the correct conviction - murder.

Under South African law,murder has a minimum sentence of 15 years. However, experts say that a judge can exercise discretion if there are compelling reasons to do so.

Image source, Getty Images

Pistorius is currently under house arrest, staying at his uncle's home in Pretoria.

He was transferred there in October after serving one year of his five-year sentence for manslaughter, also known as culpable homicide.

He is likely to be re-sentenced in the New Year by his original trial judge Thokozile Masipa.

Here's a bit more for you on the Fifa arrests story. 

The Swiss Federal Office of Justice (FoJ) has said the two people arrested overnight are alleged to have taken money for selling marketing rights in connection with football tournaments in Latin America, as well as World Cup qualifying matches.

"They are being held in custody pending their extradition [to the US]," the Swiss FoJ said on Thursday. "According to the US arrest requests, they are suspected of accepting bribes of millions of dollars."

More on the Oscar Pistorius verdict: 

Judge Leach says Pistorius ought to have been found guilty of murder in his original trial, and should not have been found guilty of culpable homicide. 

Reading from the judgement, he says that the original verdict should be set aside, and that the Paralympian should be referred back to the original trial judge for sentencing.