FIFA President Gianni Infantino has revealed that the organization is currently evaluating a proposal to increase the number of teams in the World Cup 2030 to an impressive 64 teams.
This significant shift builds on the 48-team layout that will be utilized in the 2026 North American tournament, thereby enabling nearly a third of all FIFA-recognized nations to qualify.
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The proposed expansion, advocated by prominent South American football figures, is being contemplated for the centenary tournament in 2030, which is already scheduled to take place across six nations on three continents.
“These are all matters that we will be considering after the World Cup,” Infantino, who successfully championed the increase of the finals from 32 teams, stated to Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport.
“I believe it is essential that when you aim to organize a World Cup, it should represent the entire globe — not just Europe and South America, but genuinely the whole world.
“Every country should have the chance to aspire to take part in the World Cup. You can observe that the quality of the teams is exceptionally high and continually improving, globally.
“If you don’t provide smaller nations with the opportunity to compete in the World Cup, they will lack the motivation to continue progressing.
“Every team performed at a high standard. Teams from every continent scored goals and secured at least one point.
“Nine out of ten African nations advanced to the knockout stage. In the last World Cup, only five teams from Africa participated. This highlights the importance of including all teams, granting them the chance to compete,” he added.
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The World Cup consisted of 32 teams from 1998 until 2022 before expanding to 48 for the 2026 tournament, which FIFA has deemed a ‘100 percent success’.
The ongoing tournament, taking place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, features 104 matches and has achieved impressive attendance numbers.
FIFA’s favorable evaluation of the 48-team format has motivated leadership to think about a 64-team model, which would significantly transform qualification processes and the overall tournament structure.
