FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that FIFA will examine expanding the World Cup to 64 teams after the 2026 tournament, ahead of its next edition in 2030.
He said he wants every nation to have a chance to play at football’s biggest event. The 2026 World Cup features 48 teams, having expanded from 32.
“We can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high and it’s getting higher and higher everywhere in the world. If you don’t give smaller countries the chance to participate in the World Cup, they also lose the incentive to keep improving,” Infantino said.
The move would open doors for more countries from Africa, Asia and other regions, providing opportunities to compete with other nations.
The 64-team World Cup would become the most diverse sporting event in history, with more matches that will translate into greater broadcasting, sponsorship deals and ticket sales. FIFA has also faced pressure from federations in Africa and Asia to increase representation.
If approved, a 64-team World Cup would feature 128 matches, double the number played under the 32-team format used from 1998 to 2022, while this year the tournament featured 104 matches with 48 teams.