FIFA president opens door to 64-team World Cup review
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
- FIFA will review a possible 64-team World Cup after assessing the 2026 tournament.
- Infantino says wider participation helps football develop across every continent.
- Several confederation leaders oppose further expansion over sporting and logistical concerns.
Speaking to Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport, Infantino said FIFA has a responsibility to make the World Cup a truly global competition by giving more nations the opportunity to qualify.
The 2026 edition, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will already mark a major change as the tournament grows from 32 to 48 teams.
However, Infantino suggested the governing body is prepared to explore whether another expansion could benefit the game.
Infantino: "Every nation should have the opportunity to dream"
Infantino argued that the World Cup should not only serve football's traditional powerhouses but also encourage growth across every continent.When organising a World Cup, it's important to organise it for the whole world - not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world.He added that providing more qualification places gives emerging football nations greater motivation to invest in development.
Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup.
If you don't give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they'll lack the incentive to keep improving.
FIFA pleased with the expanded 48-team format
According to Infantino, the decision to increase the tournament to 48 teams has already delivered positive results.He highlighted Africa's strong showing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, noting that nine of the continent's 10 representatives progressed to the knockout stage.
By comparison, only five African teams competed at the previous tournament under the 32-team format.
Infantino believes the improved representation demonstrates the value of expanding access to football's biggest competition.
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Read This Next →64-team proposal remains under discussion
The idea of a 64-team World Cup first gained official momentum when South American governing body CONMEBOL proposed expanding the 2030 tournament during a FIFA Council meeting in April 2025.No decision has been made, and FIFA's current position remains that any proposal submitted by council members deserves formal consideration before a final vote.
The FIFA Council would ultimately determine whether any further expansion becomes reality.
Strong opposition from football leaders
Whilst Infantino has left the door open, several influential football figures have publicly opposed the proposal.UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin described a 64-team World Cup as "a bad idea," arguing it would weaken both the tournament and the qualification process.
AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa warned that further expansion could create "chaos."
CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani also expressed reservations, saying a larger tournament "doesn't feel right" and could damage the wider football ecosystem.
Hosting challenges continue to grow
Expanding beyond 48 teams would significantly increase the logistical demands of hosting the competition.The 2026 FIFA World Cup already spans three host nations and 104 matches.
A 64-team tournament would likely feature 128 matches, requiring more stadiums, longer scheduling and greater travel demands for teams and supporters.
The 2030 FIFA World Cup will already be spread across six countries, with Spain, Portugal and Morocco serving as the main hosts, whilst Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay stage the opening matches to celebrate the competition's centenary.
Questions also remain over how Saudi Arabia, host of the 2034 World Cup, could accommodate a significantly larger tournament should expansion be approved.
Political and financial considerations
Beyond sporting reasons, a larger World Cup would increase FIFA's commercial revenues through additional matches, broadcasting rights and sponsorship opportunities.More participating nations would also receive financial distributions from FIFA, strengthening support among many member associations.
The discussion comes as Infantino prepares to seek another term as FIFA president, with reports suggesting he hopes to secure backing from a broader range of national associations.
No immediate decision expected
Despite renewed debate, there is no indication that FIFA is close to approving a 64-team World Cup.Instead, the governing body plans to evaluate the success of the expanded 48-team tournament before consulting stakeholders and considering any formal proposals.
For now, the 2026 FIFA World Cup represents the beginning of a new era, whilst the possibility of an even larger tournament remains firmly on FIFA's agenda rather than its calendar.
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