Football
Football
FIFA President Considers Expanding World Cup to 64 Teams
Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, has indicated that the organization is discussing a potential expansion of the World Cup to include 64 participating nations.
The proposal to further enlarge the field to 64 teams would specifically target the 2030 World Cup. Infantino suggested that deliberations on this significant shift would occur after the conclusion of the 2026 North American tournament. He conveyed these thoughts in an interview with Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport, as reported by the BBC. The World Cup is already set to grow from 32 to 48 teams for the North American World Cup.
Infantino emphasized the importance of broader participation, stating that every nation should have the ambition to compete in the World Cup. He noted the increasing quality of national teams globally, with all continental confederations having scored goals in the current North American World Cup. Denying smaller footballing nations the chance to participate, he argued, could stifle their development.
An expansion to 64 teams would double the total number of matches played compared to the previous 32-team format, resulting in 128 games. The current North American World Cup, with 48 teams, features 104 matches.
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