Infantino plans Expansion to 64-Team for 2030 World Cup
Sports
As the inaugural 48-team FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico enters its final stages, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that the organization will formally examine expanding the tournament to 64 teams as soon as the 2030 edition.
In an interview with Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport, Infantino described the current 48-team format as “100 percent a huge success” and said discussions on further growth would occur in relevant FIFA committees after the tournament concludes.
“When organizing a World Cup, it’s important to organize it for the whole world — not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world,” Infantino said, noting that, “Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup.”
He highlighted the improved competitiveness observed in 2026, noting that nine out of ten African teams advanced to the knockout stages compared to just five in the previous 32-team edition.
Infantino argued that broader participation gives smaller nations incentive to develop their football infrastructure and talent.
The push for a 64-team tournament gained momentum from South America’s CONMEBOL confederation.
The idea was formally proposed in 2025 to mark the centenary of the first World Cup, held in Uruguay in 1930. CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez has called the expansion his “dream,” suggesting it would help “unite the world.”
The 2030 World Cup is already set to be a multi-continental celebration, with the bulk of matches hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, and ceremonial opening games in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.
A larger field could allow South American nations to host full groups rather than single matches.
The most likely structure would return to a traditional group-stage model:
• 16 groups of 4 teams each.
• Top two teams from every group advance (32 teams total).
• Straight knockout stage beginning with the Round of 32.
This would result in 128 matches up from 64 in the traditional 32-team era and 104 in the current 2026 tournament. Each team would still play three group-stage games, avoiding extra fixtures per side while simplifying qualification from groups (no more best-third-placed teams advancing).
While Infantino and South American leaders support the idea, opposition exists as UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has previously called a 64-team World Cup a “bad idea,” arguing it could dilute quality and strain qualifying competitions.
Leaders from Asia and CONCACAF have also expressed reservations.
Critics worry about fixture congestion, player welfare, and whether adding more lower-ranked teams would reduce the tournament’s prestige, though Infantino maintains that global football standards are rising rapidly.
No final decision has been made. The FIFA Council would need to approve any change. Infantino’s comments position the review as a post-2026 priority rather than a guaranteed outcome.
The proposal reflects FIFA’s ongoing efforts to globalize the sport, building on the 2017 decision to expand from 32 to 48 teams.
Whether 64 teams becomes reality in 2030 or beyond will depend on logistical, financial, and competitive assessments in the coming months.
