FIFA Considers Expanding to 64-Team World Cup
A massive change could be heading to international football. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that the governing body will explore expanding the men's World Cup to a 64-team format once the 2026 tournament concludes.
The current tournament is the very first to showcase 48 teams, moving up from the long-standing 32-team setup used between 1998 and 2022. Despite the recent expansion, FIFA is already open to looking at an even larger field.
"This is certainly an issue that will be looked at and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup," Infantino remarked to Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport.
Infantino heavily emphasized that football's marquee event needs to broaden its reach beyond its traditional strongholds.
"When you organize a World Cup, it's important that you organize it for the whole world. It's not just Europe and South America, but the entire world, effectively. Every nation should be able to dream of taking part in the World Cup."
"We can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high, and it's getting higher and higher everywhere in the world. If you don't give smaller countries the chance to participate in the World Cup, they also lose the incentive to keep improving," Infantino explained.
To back his point, Infantino praised the 48-team 2026 edition as a "huge success." He highlighted the incredible rise of African football under the new layout, where nine out of ten African nations advanced into the knockout stages. By comparison, only five teams from Africa competed at the previous World Cup.
How 64 Teams Would Work (and Who Objects)
The initial proposal for a 64-team competition came from the South American football confederation, CONMEBOL, in April 2025. A multi-continent plan is already locked in for the 2030 tournament, with Morocco, Portugal, and Spain serving as main hosts, while Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay will host the opening three games to mark the tournament's 100th anniversary. Adding 16 more teams could allow those South American nations to host entire four-team groups rather than just individual opening games.
However, jumping to 64 teams would double the old format's workload, triggering a massive 128-match schedule compared to the 104 games being played in 2026.
This looming congestion has sparked significant pushback from top football executives:
- Aleksander Čeferin (UEFA President) previously labeled the expansion "a bad idea" for the tournament and qualifiers.
- Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa (AFC President) warned that a further increase would result in "chaos."
- Victor Montagliani (CONCACAF President) expressed skepticism, stating that it "doesn't feel right" and would damage "the broader football ecosystem".
On the other side of the coin, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House's World Cup task force, suggested the United States would be fully capable of managing the logistical load if they launch a bid for the 2038 tournament.
While FIFA maintains its duty to review proposals from council members, the final call rests with the FIFA Council, and no immediate changes are expected.
