FIFA Weighs Historic Expansion of 2030 World Cup to 64 Teams
World football Governing Body, the FIFA, is considering a groundbreaking proposal to expand the 2030 FIFA World Cup to an unprecedented 64 teams, a move that could allow nearly one-third of its member Nations to participate in football’s biggest tournament.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, disclosed that the proposal, initially championed by South American football administrators, is currently under review ahead of the centenary edition of the World Cup.
The 2030 tournament is already set to be one of the most unique in history, with matches scheduled across six Countries on three continents. If approved, the expansion would go beyond the 48-team format introduced at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Speaking during an interview with Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport, Infantino said FIFA’s objective is to make the World Cup a truly global event.
“These are all issues that we will be examining after the World Cup. It is important that when you organise a World Cup, you do it for the whole world—not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world,” he said.
Infantino, who spearheaded the increase from 32 to 48 teams, maintained that expanding participation would accelerate football development in emerging nations and provide smaller countries with the motivation to improve.
According to him, the current tournament has demonstrated that increasing the number of participating teams does not compromise the quality of competition.
“Every Nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup. The quality of teams is getting higher and higher all over the world. If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they’ll lack the incentive to keep improving,” he added.
The FIFA president pointed to the impressive performances of African nations under the expanded format as evidence that broader participation can significantly boost competitiveness.
He noted that teams from every continent scored goals and earned points, while nine out of ten African representatives progressed to the knockout stages, compared with only five African teams that featured in previous editions.
The World Cup maintained a 32-team format from 1998 to 2022. Although the decision to expand to 48 teams for the 2026 edition initially attracted criticism, FIFA has described the ongoing tournament as a resounding success, citing record attendance figures and strong global television audiences.
The positive reception has reportedly emboldened FIFA executives to examine the possibility of a 64-team World Cup, a move that would dramatically alter qualification processes, tournament scheduling and the overall structure of international football’s flagship competition.
