What's happened
Gianni Infantino has opened the door to expanding the World Cup to 64 teams, saying it will be examined after the 2026 tournament. He argues 64 teams could be organized to include more nations, though some leaders warn of chaos. The 2030 edition, co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, looms as the potential stage for any expansion.
What's behind the headline?
The expansion debate, cast in motion
- Infantino’s remarks come as FIFA reviews the impact of a 48-team World Cup, finding deep support in some regions for broader participation.
- European leaders remain wary of further expansion, citing risks to schedule and competitiveness.
- The key driver is inclusivity: more teams means broader development, but the cost is a longer tournament and more complex qualification.
- The likeliest near-term outcome is a formal study of a 64-team model, with no immediate decision expected before 2030.
What this could mean for readers
- More teams could raise global exposure for small nations, potentially altering eligibility and travel to future events.
- Fans may encounter longer tournaments and more matches, affecting viewing schedules and broadcast rights.
- National associations might push for favorable qualification access, influencing regional blocs.
How we got here
The 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico expanded to 48 teams, the first time the event included more than 32 teams. Since then, FIFA has faced calls to consider further expansion, with CONMEBOL pushing the 2030 centenary tournament toward broader participation. The debate sits against a backdrop of mixed reactions from European and non-European confederations.
Our analysis
The Guardian quotes Infantino on examining 64-team expansion post-2026. Independent reports his openness to further growth, while BBC Business notes the ongoing discussion. Al Jazeera and The Scotsman outline regional responses and the practicalities of formats; New York Post highlights the 64-team option as part of a broader World Cup future. All sources point to a growing, but cautious, appetite for expansion.
Go deeper
- Will the 64-team format actually be implemented by 2030 or later?
- Which confederations stand to gain the most from expansion?
- How would a 64-team World Cup affect travel and scheduling for fans?
More on these topics
-
Gianni Infantino - President of Fédération Internationale de Football Association
Giovanni Vincenzo "Gianni" Infantino is a Swiss–Italian football administrator and the current president of FIFA. He was elected President of FIFA during the 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress on 26 February 2016.
-
Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) - Football organization
FIFA is a non-profit organization which describes itself as an international governing body of association football, fútsal, beach soccer, and efootball. It is the highest governing body of football.
-
Spain - Country
Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southwestern Europe with some pockets of territory across the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean. Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula.
-
Argentina - Country in South America
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country located mostly in the southern half of South America. Sharing the bulk of the Southern Cone with Chile to the west, the country is also bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north, Brazil to the
-
Portugal - Country
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the westernmost sovereign state of mainland Europe, being bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the nor
-
Morocco - Country in North Africa
Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, with land borders with Algeria to the east and Western Sahara to th
-
Paraguay - Country in South America
Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest.
-
Uruguay - Country in South America
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in the southeastern region of South America. It borders Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and east, with the Río de la Plata to the south and the Atlantic Ocean
-
South America - Continent
South America is a continent in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere.
-
CONMEBOL - Sports association
The South American Football Confederation is the continental governing body of football in South America, and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations.
-
United States - Country in North America
The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
-
AFC - Wikimedia disambiguation page
AFC may stand for:
-
Cape Verde - Country in Africa
Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country in the central Atlantic Ocean. The ten volcanic islands in its archipelago have a combined land area of about 4,033 square kilometres.
-
Victor Montagliani - Canadian businessman
Victor Montagliani is a Canadian businessman, soccer executive, and the president of CONCACAF. He is a member of the FIFA Council.
-
CONCACAF - International sport governing body
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, abbreviated as CONCACAF ( KONG-kə-kaf; typeset for branding purposes since 2018 as Concacaf), is one of FIFA's six continental governing bodies for association football. Its.
-
Union of European Football Associations - League
The Union of European Football Associations is the administrative body for association football, futsal and beach soccer in Europe, although several member states are primarily or entirely located in Asia.
-
Europe - Region in Europe
Central Europe is the region comprising the central part of Europe. Central Europe occupies continuous territories that are otherwise sometimes considered parts of Western Europe, Southern Europe and Eastern Europe.
-
Canada - Country in North America
Canada is a country in the northern part of North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometres, making it the world's second-largest c
-
France - Country in Europe
France, officially the French Republic, is a country consisting of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories.
-
England - Country of the United Kingdom
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest of England and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. England is separated from continental Europe by
-
Mexico - Country in North America
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea