FIFA eyes 64-team World Cup for 2030 centenary

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed the governing body will formally examine expanding the World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 edition, signalling another major shake-up of football's flagship tournament just four years after the current 48-team format was introduced.

Infantino made the disclosure in an interview with Swiss outlet Bluewin, confirming that internal committees will take up the proposal once the 2026 tournament concludes.

If approved, the format would add 16 more direct qualifying spots compared to the ongoing 48-team edition in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Defending the idea, Infantino argued that the World Cup must belong to the entire footballing world rather than remain concentrated in Europe and South America, insisting every nation deserves the chance to dream of reaching the tournament.

He said giving smaller footballing nations a platform on the biggest stage would keep them motivated to invest in long-term development.

The FIFA chief pointed to the ongoing 48-team tournament as evidence the expanded format works, both competitively and commercially, adding that nations from every continent had performed well above expectations at this year's edition.

The 64-team concept was first floated in March 2025, when Uruguay's FIFA Council representative Ignacio Alonso formally raised the idea. CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez has since thrown his weight behind the plan, calling a 64-team centenary tournament in 2030 the stuff of dreams.

The 2030 World Cup is scheduled across six nations on three continents, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay each hosting a ceremonial opening match before the bulk of fixtures shift to Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Should the 64-team format be adopted, South America's three host nations could push for a fuller share of group-stage matches rather than symbolic openers alone.

The proposal has already drawn resistance from senior football administrators. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has dismissed the plan as a bad idea, warning it would dilute the tournament's prestige and weaken the significance of qualifying campaigns. CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani has voiced similar reservations.