Infantino confirms FIFA will examine expanding World Cup to 64 teams
FIFA president Gianni Infantino says football’s governing body will formally examine expanding the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, despite growing opposition from several confederations.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed the governing body will examine a proposal to expand the men’s World Cup from 48 to 64 teams for the 2030 tournament.
Speaking during the ongoing 2026 World Cup, Infantino said the idea would be discussed by FIFA’s relevant committees after the competition, insisting every nation should have the opportunity to dream of reaching football’s biggest stage.
The 2030 World Cup is scheduled to be staged across six countries on three continents, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay hosting the opening matches before Morocco, Portugal and Spain stage the remainder of the tournament.
The push for a 64-team event originated from South American football officials, including Uruguay’s Ignacio Alonso and CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez, who believe a larger competition would better reflect the tournament’s global reach.
However, the proposal has met strong resistance. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and CONCACAF chief Victor Montagliani have both argued that another expansion would weaken the quality of the finals and reduce the significance of continental qualifying competitions.
The current 2026 edition is the first World Cup featuring 48 teams, with FIFA maintaining that the expanded format has been a success despite criticism from some coaches and football administrators.
