Will the FIFA World Cup expand to 64 teams? Gianni Infantino explains

The FIFA World Cup could undergo another dramatic transformation, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirming that the governing body will discuss expanding the men's tournament to 64 teams after the 2026 edition.

The move comes even before the football world has witnessed the first-ever 48-team FIFA World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. If eventually approved, the proposal would represent the biggest expansion in the tournament's history and significantly alter the global football landscape.

Why is FIFA discussing a 64-team World Cup?

Infantino said FIFA believes the World Cup should offer every footballing nation a realistic opportunity to qualify and compete on the sport's biggest stage.

"This is certainly an issue that will be looked at and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup," FIFA's president told Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport when asked about the possibility of a 64-team tournament, as quoted by ESPN.

Explaining the philosophy behind the proposal, Infantino added, "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."

He also argued that expanding opportunities could improve the standard of football worldwide.

"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," he added.

Where did the 64-team proposal come from?

The idea first gained momentum in March 2025 when South American football confederation CONMEBOL proposed expanding the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which will mark the tournament's centenary.

Although FIFA has not approved the proposal, Infantino's latest remarks confirm that the idea will now be formally discussed within the organisation after the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup.

The timing is significant because the 2026 tournament itself already marks a historic expansion, increasing the number of participating teams from 32 to 48.

What would change if the World Cup expands again?

A 64-team World Cup would dramatically increase the size of the competition.

The traditional 32-team format, used from 1998 to 2022, featured 64 matches. The expanded 48-team tournament in 2026 will include 104 matches. A further expansion to 64 teams would take that figure to 128 matches, doubling the number played under the previous 32-team format.

Such an expansion would create more qualification opportunities for emerging football nations but would also raise questions about scheduling, player workload, broadcasting commitments and the overall competitiveness of the tournament.

Why is the proposal dividing football?

Not everyone within world football supports another expansion.

Concacaf president Victor Montagliani previously expressed reservations about the proposal.

"I don't believe expanding the men's World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues and players," he told ESPN in April 2025.

His comments reflect broader concerns that a larger tournament could place additional strain on players, domestic leagues and the already congested international football calendar.

What happens next?

FIFA has not made any decision on expanding the World Cup to 64 teams.

Instead, the proposal will be examined by FIFA's relevant committees after the conclusion of the 2026 tournament. Any eventual expansion would require formal approval before it could be implemented, with the 2030 World Cup emerging as the most likely edition should FIFA decide to move ahead.

Meanwhile, attention remains on the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, where England, Argentina, France and Spain have reached the semi-finals. The winners of France versus Spain and England versus Argentina will meet in the final, scheduled for July 20 (IST).

(With inputs from ANI)