FIFA considers expanding World Cup to 64 teams

• FIFA to review a 64-team World Cup proposal after 2026.

• Infantino says expansion would give more nations a chance to compete.

• UEFA and other football bodies remain opposed to the plan.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that football's governing body will evaluate a proposal to expand the men's FIFA World Cup to 64 teams after the conclusion of the 2026 tournament, insisting that the competition should provide opportunities for nations from every region of the world.

Speaking to Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport, Infantino said discussions on further expansion would take place after the first-ever 48-team World Cup, which he described as a major success.

"These are all issues that we will be examining after the World Cup," Infantino said when asked about the possibility of increasing the tournament to 64 teams.

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He stressed that the World Cup should serve the global football community rather than being dominated by traditional powerhouses from Europe and South America.

"When organising a World Cup, it's important to organise it for the whole world—not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world. Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup."

Infantino argued that expanding the tournament creates opportunities for emerging football nations to develop by giving them realistic prospects of reaching the world's biggest sporting event.

He pointed to the performance of African nations at the expanded 2026 World Cup as evidence that broader participation benefits the game.

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"The quality of the teams is extremely high, and it's 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."

The FIFA president noted that while only five African teams competed at the previous World Cup, the expanded 48-team format saw ten African nations qualify, with nine progressing to the knockout stages.

He added that this highlights the significance of including all teams and providing them with the opportunity to participate.

FIFA approved the expansion from 32 to 48 teams in 2017, with the new format making its debut at the 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The idea of increasing the tournament further to 64 teams was formally proposed by South American football governing body CONMEBOL in April 2025 as part of discussions surrounding the 2030 FIFA World Cup. However, FIFA has yet to reach a decision on the proposal.

The 2030 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, while Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay will stage the opening matches to commemorate the tournament's centenary. Uruguay hosted the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930.

The proposal has faced significant opposition from several football leaders.

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UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has dismissed the idea, describing a 64-team World Cup as a "bad idea" for both the tournament and the qualification process.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa has also warned that another expansion could create "chaos", while CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani believes it would negatively affect the wider football ecosystem.

Despite the criticism, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House's FIFA World Cup Task Force, has said the United States would be capable of hosting a 64-team tournament should it decide to bid for the 2038 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA maintains that it is obliged to consider any formal proposals submitted by its member associations and stakeholders. While the FIFA Council will ultimately decide whether to approve any future expansion, there is currently no indication that a decision will be made in the immediate future.