Gianni Infantino says FIFA will examine possibility of 64-team World Cup

Gianni Infantino has announced that FIFA will consider expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams following the 2026 tournament. He emphasized that every nation should have the opportunity to dream of competing at football’s largest platform.

The upcoming 2026 World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be the first to feature 48 teams, an increase from the previous format of 32. Infantino remarked on the potential for further expansion, stating, “This is certainly an issue that will be looked at and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup,” during an interview with Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport.

World Cup for Everyone

Infantino pointed out the global nature of football, saying, “When you organise a World Cup, it’s important that you organise it for the whole world. It’s not just Europe and South America, but the entire world effectively. Every nation should be able to dream of taking part in the World Cup.”

He acknowledged the rising quality of football teams across all regions, stressing that if smaller nations are not given the opportunity to compete, they may lose the motivation to continue improving their teams.

Future Considerations

The concept of a 64-team World Cup was initially proposed by the South American confederation CONMEBOL in March 2025, aiming to expand the 2030 tournament which will celebrate the competition’s centenary.

In September 2025, Infantino met with CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez and other key football figures in New York to discuss this proposal. Domínguez stated, “We believe in a historic 2030 World Cup. We want to call for unity, creativity, and believing big. Because when football is shared by everyone, the celebration is truly global.”

However, not everyone agrees with the expansion. In April 2025, Concacaf president Victor Montagliani expressed concerns stating, “I don’t believe expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem.”

If the expansion is approved, a 64-team World Cup would see 128 matches played, which is double the number of matches held in the previous 32-team format between 1998 and 2022. UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has also criticized the proposal, calling it “a bad idea.”