INFANTINO CONFIRMS FIFA WILL REVIEW 64-TEAM WORLD CUP PROPOSAL
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By: Fasasi Hammad
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that football’s governing body will consider a proposal to expand the FIFA World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 tournament after the ongoing 2026 edition concludes.
The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is the first to feature 48 teams following FIFA’s expansion from the previous 32-team format used between 1998 and 2022.
Speaking to Swiss media outlet Bluewin, Infantino said the proposal would be reviewed and debated by FIFA’s relevant committees after the tournament.
“A 64-team World Cup is certainly something that will be examined and discussed by the appropriate bodies after this World Cup,” he said.
Infantino reiterated FIFA’s commitment to making the tournament more inclusive, stressing that the World Cup belongs to the entire world and not only traditional football powers in Europe and South America.
He argued that expanding participation would encourage football development globally by giving more nations a realistic opportunity to compete on the sport’s biggest stage.
“Every country should be able to dream of playing in a World Cup. The standard of football continues to improve worldwide, and smaller nations need opportunities to showcase that progress,” he said.
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The FIFA president also hailed the introduction of the 48-team format as a major success despite criticism from some stakeholders who believe expansion reduces the competitiveness of qualification campaigns.
Calls for a 64-team World Cup gained traction after Uruguayan football official Ignacio Alonso raised the idea during a FIFA Council meeting in March 2025.
The proposal later received support from CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez, who described it as his vision for a tournament capable of bringing the world together on an even larger scale.
The 2030 World Cup is already scheduled to be hosted across six countries and three continents. Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each stage an opening match, while Morocco, Portugal and Spain will host the bulk of the competition.
Supporters of further expansion believe it would enable the South American hosts to stage entire group-stage matches rather than serving as symbolic hosts for single fixtures.
However, the proposal has drawn criticism from some football leaders. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has previously dismissed the idea as a poor move that could dilute the quality of both the World Cup and continental qualifying competitions. CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani has also voiced concerns over the plan.
Infantino further disclosed that he has maintained regular communication with U.S. President Donald Trump throughout the 2026 World Cup and said Trump is expected to present the trophy to the tournament winners after the final.
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