FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that the governing body will explore expanding the World Cup to a 64-team format for the 2030 tournament. This potential shift follows discussions triggered by South American football leaders, signaling a move towards an even larger global football spectacle.
Infantino stated that the proposal to increase the number of participating nations by an additional 16 teams will be officially debated by FIFA's internal committees. He emphasized that the World Cup should be a tournament for "the whole world, not just Europe and South America," aiming to foster greater global inclusivity in football.
Speaking to Swiss media outlet Bluewin, Infantino articulated his vision: "Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup. If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate, they’ll lack the incentive to keep improving." He believes expanding the player pool is crucial for the sport's development worldwide.
These discussions come as FIFA deems the recently concluded 48-team World Cup in 2026 a significant success. This expanded format, a departure from the traditional 32 teams used since 1998, featured 104 matches across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, reportedly achieving record fan attendance despite initial criticisms regarding player fatigue and quality dilution.
The perceived success of the 48-team format has seemingly emboldened FIFA leadership to accelerate conversations about a 64-team tournament, which would effectively double the competition's size from its classic era.
