FIFA President Gianni Infantino hints at World Cup expansion to 64 teams after 2026, adding 16 nations. Explore the future of inclusive global football tourname
Discussions on World Cup Expansion
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has indicated that the organisation will assess the possibility of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams following the conclusion of the 2026 tournament. This potential expansion would add 16 nations to the current format, which will feature 48 teams starting with the 2026 finals. The idea of a larger tournament has been a recurring topic, with Infantino emphasising that the event should be inclusive for the entire world.
The proposal to increase the number of participating teams was initially put forward last year. Infantino highlighted the success of the expanded 48-team tournament, citing the progression of nine out of 10 African teams to the knockout stages in the current World Cup. He stated that the quality of teams globally is consistently improving, and providing smaller countries with an opportunity to participate offers an incentive for continued development.
The FIFA council had previously approved the expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams in 2017. Discussions about a further expansion to 64 teams for the 2030 World Cup were held in September 2025, following a formal pitch from influential South American leaders. The South American governing body Conmebol officially proposed a 64-team World Cup for 2030 in April 2025, though no final decision has been reached.
Perspectives on the Proposal
The concept of a 64-team World Cup has garnered mixed reactions from various football officials. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has expressed opposition, describing the 64-team proposal as a “bad idea” that could negatively impact both the tournament itself and the qualification process. Similarly, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa suggested that further expansion could lead to “chaos.”
Victor Montagliani, president of Concacaf, the governing body for football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, also voiced concerns. These officials believe that such an expansion might render many regional qualification processes less meaningful, particularly as a 48-team finals already sees a significant number of nations from certain confederations qualify.
Conversely, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House’s World Cup task force, indicated that the United States might consider bidding to host the 2038 World Cup and would be capable of managing a 64-team tournament if it were to expand. The official position of FIFA is to discuss expansion ideas with stakeholders and consider all proposals from council members.
The current 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The 2030 tournament is set to be primarily hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with the initial three matches taking place in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay to commemorate the centenary of the competition. Uruguay hosted the inaugural World Cup in 1930.
Challenges and Potential Benefits
Expanding the World Cup to 64 teams would present significant logistical challenges for host nations. The larger the tournament becomes, the more complex it is to organise. For instance, the 2026 tournament is spread across three countries, and the 2030 edition will involve matches in six countries across three continents. A 64-team tournament would feature 128 games, requiring substantial infrastructure and coordination.
Despite these challenges, an expanded World Cup offers several benefits, particularly for FIFA. It provides more countries with the opportunity to participate, as a 64-team format could see nearly a third of the 211 FIFA-affiliated countries qualify. This increased participation is seen as a way to engage more nations and foster football development globally.
Furthermore, a larger World Cup is expected to generate more revenue, which would then be distributed among member associations. This financial aspect is a significant motivator for expansion. The ultimate decision regarding the 64-team format rests with the FIFA council, though there are no indications that such a change is imminent.
The 48-team format, which will debut at the 2026 World Cup, was approved by the FIFA council in 2017, less than a year after Gianni Infantino was first elected in 2016 with a manifesto that included increasing the tournament size from 32 to 40 teams.
Impact on Digital Engagement
The potential expansion of the World Cup to 64 teams could also have an impact on digital engagement platforms. For instance, the current 48-team format is already seeing increased interest in areas such as crypto fan tokens and prediction markets. An even larger tournament would amplify this exposure, potentially leading to more engagement in these sectors.
Platforms that allow users to wager on match outcomes have already experienced substantial activity during the current 2026 tournament. A 64-team expansion would introduce an additional layer of group stage matches, thereby increasing the total number of games and the overall market for prediction betting. This could also benefit fan token platforms, with more national teams potentially launching their own tokens if they qualify.
The feasibility of a 64-team World Cup will be reviewed by FIFA’s relevant committees ahead of the 2030 edition.
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Source: bbc.com
