Gianni Infantino wants every nation to dream of playing in a World Cup – and he thinks the best way to make that happen is to invite 64 of them. The Fifa president has opened the door to expanding the men's tournament from 48 to 64 teams, a move that would fundamentally reshape the world's biggest sporting event.
The proposal for a 64-team World Cup was first put forward by South American governing body Conmebol in April 2025, and Infantino has now confirmed it will be formally examined after the 2026 tournament. "That's definitely an issue that will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup," he told Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport. The 2026 edition is the first to feature 48 teams, up from 32 that had been used from 1998 to 2022.
“FIFA considers expanding the World Cup to 64 teams for 2030; here's what you need to know.”
Infantino argues that the expansion is about giving the whole world a chance. "When organising a World Cup, it's important to organise it for the whole world – not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world," he said. He cited the success of the 48-team format, noting that nine out of ten African teams reached the knockout stage, compared with only five African teams at the previous World Cup. "If you don't give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they'll lack the incentive to keep improving," he added.
But the idea has drawn strong opposition from some of football's most powerful figures. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin dismissed it as a "bad idea" that would harm both the tournament and the qualifying process. Concacaf president Victor Montagliani said expansion "doesn't feel right" and would damage "the broader football ecosystem." Even the Asian Football Confederation's president, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, said further expansion would bring "chaos."
For UK readers, a 64-team World Cup could have several practical implications. England's path to qualification might change if more places are allocated to other confederations. The tournament itself would balloon to more than 104 matches, raising questions about player fatigue and the quality of the football. The group stage – already seen by some as devalued in the 48-team format – could become even less competitive. And the World Cup would become a month-long marathon that might test even the most dedicated fan.
The 2030 World Cup is currently scheduled to be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with the three opening matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to celebrate the centenary of the competition. An expansion to 64 teams could see those South American nations each host an entire group, rather than just one match. The United States has already indicated it could bid for the 2038 tournament and said it would be able to "handle it" if expanded to 64 teams.
Q: How many teams would be in a 64-team World Cup? A 64-team World Cup would include 64 national teams – more than a quarter of Fifa's 210 member associations. That would be an increase from the current 48-team format introduced in 2026.
Q: When could a 64-team World Cup happen? Fifa president Gianni Infantino has said the proposal will be examined after the 2026 World Cup. The earliest it could be implemented is the 2030 tournament, which is already set to be co-hosted by six nations across three continents.
Q: What are the arguments against expanding to 64 teams? Critics say expansion would dilute the quality of the tournament and devalue the group stage. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin called it a "bad idea," while Concacaf's Victor Montagliani said it "doesn't feel right" and could harm the broader football ecosystem. There are also concerns about player workload and the impact on qualifying competitions.
What happens next? Fifa's relevant committees will discuss the 64-team proposal after the 2026 World Cup concludes. No decision has been made, and the 2030 tournament remains scheduled for 48 teams for now. The United States has expressed interest in hosting the 2038 World Cup and said it could accommodate a 64-team event. For now, the debate is only just beginning.