FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced Sunday that the governing body will discuss expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams [1].
This proposal represents a significant shift in the tournament's scale, coming as the current edition in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico introduces a 48-team format. A further expansion would fundamentally alter the competition's structure and the qualification process for national teams worldwide.
Infantino said the discussion regarding a possible 64-team format will take place after the 2026 tournament concludes [3]. The move reflects a proposal from CONMEBOL specifically for the 2030 centenary edition of the event [5].
"Every nation should have the opportunity to dream of reaching the World Cup," Infantino said [4].
The proposed expansion would add 16 nations to the finals beyond the existing 48-team setup [2]. This increase aims to provide more global representation, allowing a broader array of countries to compete on the world stage.
FIFA has already overseen a period of rapid growth for the tournament. The current 2026 edition is the first to move away from the long-standing 32-team limit. By considering a jump to 64 teams [1], FIFA continues a trend of increasing the commercial and athletic footprint of the competition.
Infantino said, "We are looking at adding a further 16 nations to the finals" [2]. While the 2026 tournament is currently underway, the focus on 2030 suggests that the centenary celebration could serve as the catalyst for this new era of expansion.
“"Every nation should have the opportunity to dream of reaching the World Cup."”
The potential move to a 64-team tournament indicates FIFA's strategy to prioritize global inclusivity and revenue growth over the traditional exclusivity of the World Cup. By aligning this expansion with the 2030 centenary, FIFA can leverage a historic milestone to justify a massive structural change, though such a move may face criticism regarding player fatigue and the dilution of the tournament's prestige.
