FIFA President Gianni Infantino is eyeing a bigger World Cup, hinting at 64 teams after 2026. He wants football to be inclusive,saying,"a World Cup should be for the whole world." Not just Europe and South America—everywhere . FIFA keeps pushing for broader participation.
The 64-team idea first came up last year. Infantino's comments suggest the 48-team format's success is pushing FIFA to think bigger. He says global team quality is on rise . Leaving out smaller nations? That could kill their motivation to improve.
Look at last World Cup. Nine out of ten African teams hit the knockout stages. Infantino points to this as proof of inclusivity's perks. He noted,"Only five African teams at the last World Cup . Shows how crucial it is to include all teams—give them a shot." A broader tournament could lift the sport worldwide.
Back in 2017, FIFA Council already okayed bumping from 32 to 48 teams . Changed the game. In April 2025,Conmebol formally pitched the idea of going to 64 teams for 2030. But no call's been made yet.
The 2030 World Cup will be a co-hosted affair by Spain,Portugal,and Morocco. Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay will host opening matches, marking 100 years since the first World Cup in Uruguay in 1930 .
Some aren't thrilled. Uefa's Aleksander Ceferin calls it "a bad idea," saying it complicates things. Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa from the Asian Football Confederation warns of chaos too .
Others like Victor Montagliani are skeptical,fearing it could hurt football's ecosystem. But Andrew Giuliani from the White House's World Cup task force says the U.S. might bid for 2038,even with 64 teams.
FIFA plans to talk with stakeholders about any expansion,but the FIFA Council will decide . No rush to 64 teams just yet.
Infantino's vision for a bigger World Cup ties back to his 2016 campaign promises . He started with 40 teams—then it jumped to 48, approved within a year. Hosting bigger tournaments isn't easy,especially with current ones spanning multiple countries .
Logistics are tricky. Can places like Saudi Arabia handle a 64-team event with 128 matches? Big question. Yet Infantino's push for expansion might win over many nations—nearly a third of FIFA's 211 members could make it.
A bigger World Cup means more revenue sharing among member associations,tempting for FIFA and its partners. As talks go on,the football world stays split on whether it's doable or wise.
