Fifa to assess potential 64-team World Cup after 2026 tournament

By Chukwuemeka Umeh — 12 July 2026 — 3 min read

Proposed Expansion for Future Tournaments

Plans for a potential 64-team men’s World Cup are slated for evaluation following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup. Fifa president Gianni Infantino has indicated that the tournament should be inclusive for the entire world, not just specific regions. The concept of an expanded tournament was initially put forward last year, and Infantino suggests that the perceived success of the current 48-team tournament warrants an examination into how a 64-team format could be implemented.

Infantino, speaking to Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport, stated that these considerations would be thoroughly examined after the upcoming World Cup. He emphasized the importance of organizing the event for a global audience, allowing every nation to aspire to participate. He highlighted that the quality of teams worldwide is consistently improving, and providing smaller countries with opportunities to compete serves as an incentive for their continued development.

The Fifa council initially approved the expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams in 2017. This change became effective starting with the 2026 finals. The current 2026 edition marks the first time the tournament will feature 48 teams, a significant increase from the 32-team format that was in place from 1998 through 2022.

Infantino’s Vision and Past Expansions

Infantino described the 48-team World Cup as a “huge success,” noting the progression of nine out of 10 African teams into the knockout stages. He contrasted this with the previous World Cup, where only five teams from Africa participated, underscoring the importance of inclusivity and providing participation opportunities to all teams. He observed that every team in the expanded format played at a high level, with teams from every continent scoring goals and earning at least one point.

When Infantino was first elected in 2016, his manifesto included a proposal to increase the World Cup’s size from 32 to 40 teams. Within a year, this proposal evolved to 48 teams and received approval from the Fifa council. Since then, discussions about further expansion have continued. A move to 48 teams for the 2022 finals was considered but ultimately deemed unfeasible for Qatar to host alone due to the scale.

The 2030 World Cup is planned as a multi-continent event, with the main hosting duties shared by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. To commemorate the competition’s centenary, the three opening matches are scheduled to take place in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Uruguay hosted the inaugural World Cup in 1930. An expansion to 64 teams could potentially allow the South American nations to each host a four-team group, rather than just a single match.

Challenges and Reactions to Further Expansion

An official proposal to increase the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams was submitted by the South American governing body, Conmebol, in April 2025, though no final decision has been made. The increasing size of the World Cup presents significant challenges for host nations. The 2026 tournament will be held across three countries, while the 2030 edition will involve matches in six countries.

The prospect of further expansion has met with varied reactions. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has dismissed the 64-team proposal, calling it a “bad idea” for both the tournament itself and its qualifying process. Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa echoed these concerns, suggesting that further expansion would lead to “chaos.” Similarly, Victor Montagliani, president of Concacaf, expressed that the suggestion “doesn’t feel right” and could harm the broader football ecosystem.

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 an expanded 64-team format. Fifa’s official stance is to discuss all expansion ideas with stakeholders and consider proposals from council members. The ultimate decision rests with the Fifa council, but there are no current indications that such an expansion is imminent. A 64-team World Cup would allow nearly a third of the 211 Fifa-affiliated countries to qualify, and a larger tournament is also expected to generate more revenue for member associations.

Source: bbc.com