Gianni Infantino confirms FIFA will 'examine' 64-team World Cup expansion

Canada v Morocco: Round of 16 - FIFA World Cup 2026

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that world football's governing body will officially explore expanding the World Cup to a massive 64-team format. Looking ahead to the 2030 tournament, which is set to be primarily hosted in Morocco, Portugal and Spain, Infantino suggested that another 16 nations could be added to the field.

Infantino pushes for global inclusion

The World Cup has only just transitioned to a 48-team format for the 2026 finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, but Infantino is already looking toward the next horizon.

The 2030 edition is currently scheduled to feature 48 teams, with Morocco, Portugal, and Spain serving as primary hosts while Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay host opening matches to celebrate the tournament's centenary. However, a formal pitch from South American leaders has prompted FIFA to reconsider the scale of the event.

“It (a 64-team tournament) is definitely an issue that will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup,” Infantino said in an interview with Swiss media outlet Bluewin. The FIFA president insisted that the competition must be accessible to more than just the traditional powerhouses, stating that the tournament was “for the whole world, not just Europe and South America.”

Switzerland v Colombia: Round of 16 - FIFA World Cup 2026

The dream of the smaller nations

Central to Infantino’s argument is the belief that a larger tournament provides the necessary motivation for developing football nations to invest in the sport.

“Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup. You can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high - and it’s getting higher and higher, all over the world,” Infantino added.

Infantino further elaborated on the incentive structure for smaller associations, noting: “If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they’ll lack the incentive to keep improving.”

He pointed to the 2026 edition as proof of concept, labelling the move to 48 teams “100 percent a success” and noting that the performance of lower-ranked teams justified the expansion.

South American influence and hosting logistics

The 64-team proposal gained significant traction following a move by Uruguayan official Ignacio Alonso and subsequent backing from CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez. Dominguez has been vocal about his desire for a larger 2030 tournament, describing it as his “dream” and claiming such an expansion would “unite the world, just once.” Under the current 48-team plan, the three South American nations are only slated to host one match each, but a 64-team setup could see them host entire groups.

This logistical shift would be particularly significant for South America, which faces a long wait to host the tournament again due to FIFA's rotation policy. Since the 2030 event touches the continent, South American nations would be ineligible to bid for a primary hosting role until 2042.

Aleksander Ceferin UEFA

Criticism and the threat of 'vulgar' football

Despite the optimism from FIFA HQ, the prospect of a 64-team World Cup has met stiff resistance from several high-ranking figures. Critics argue that adding more teams devalues the qualification process and dilutes the quality of the finals. Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz was particularly blunt in his assessment, suggesting the most recent expansion has turned the tournament into something “vulgar and ordinary.”

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and CONCACAF’s Victor Montagliani have also voiced concerns. Ceferin dismissed the 64-team proposal as a “bad idea,” fearing it would ruin the prestige of international football.