FIFA President Gianni Infantino Hints at Potential World Cup Expansion to 64 Teams

World Cup May Grow Beyond 48 Teams

The 2026 FIFA World Cup broke records by including 48 teams, a jump from the traditional 32-team setup. Yet, FIFA President Gianni Infantino recently suggested that even more teams could join future tournaments.

In an interview with Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport, Infantino shared that after the current World Cup concludes, discussions will take place about possibly expanding to 64 teams. "This is an issue that will be examined by the relevant committees after this World Cup," he said, emphasizing the global nature of football and the need for all nations to have a chance to compete.

"When you organize a World Cup, it’s important that you organize 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."

Infantino pointed out that the quality of teams around the globe keeps improving, and excluding smaller nations might reduce their motivation to develop their programs further.

CONMEBOL's Push for a 64-Team Tournament

Earlier, in March 2025, CONMEBOL proposed increasing the field to 64 teams for the 2030 World Cup, which celebrates 100 years of the tournament. CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez called for unity and big thinking, saying, "When football is shared by everyone, the celebration is truly global."

How Would a 64-Team Format Change the Competition?

If approved, a 64-team World Cup would nearly double the number of matches compared to the 32-team format used from 1998 through 2022. The older format featured 64 matches, while the 2026 tournament has 104 games scheduled. A 64-team event would include 128 matches.

This expansion could simplify the knockout stage qualification process. Currently, eight third-place teams advance to the knockout round using various tiebreakers, adding complexity. With 64 teams, only the top two teams from each group would move forward, eliminating the need for third-place qualifiers.