FIFA President Discusses Potential Expansion of World Cup to 64 Teams
FIFA's Vision for World Cup Expansion
Zurich [Switzerland], July 13: Gianni Infantino, the President of FIFA, has announced that the organization will consider the possibility of increasing the number of teams in the men's FIFA World Cup to 64 after the 2026 tournament. He emphasized that every nation should have the chance to aspire to compete on football's grandest stage, as reported by a leading sports network.
The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking a significant change as it will be the first tournament to include 48 teams, an increase from the previous format of 32 teams.
Infantino stated that discussions regarding a further expansion to 64 teams will take place after the 2026 event concludes.
In an interview with a Swiss broadcaster, he remarked, “This is certainly an issue that will be looked at and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup.”
He further noted, “When organizing a World Cup, it’s crucial to consider the entire globe. It’s not just about Europe and South America; every nation should have the opportunity to dream of participating in the World Cup.”
The idea of a 64-team World Cup was first suggested in March 2025 when the South American confederation, CONMEBOL, proposed expanding the 2030 tournament, which will celebrate the centenary of the competition.
Infantino added, “The quality of teams worldwide is exceptionally high and continues to rise. If smaller nations are not given the chance to compete in the World Cup, they may lose the motivation to improve.”
In April 2025, Concacaf president Victor Montagliani expressed his concerns, stating, “I don’t believe that expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams is beneficial for the tournament or the overall football ecosystem, including national teams, clubs, leagues, and players.”
If the expansion is approved, a 64-team World Cup would consist of 128 matches, which is double the number played in the 32-team format used from 1998 to 2022. This year’s tournament will feature 104 matches.
In other news, the semi-final lineup for the FIFA World Cup 2026 has been finalized, with England and Argentina overcoming challenging quarter-final matches to join France and Spain in the final four.
The winner of the semi-final between France and Spain will face either England or Argentina in the World Cup final, set to kick off at 12:30 AM IST on July 20. The two teams that lose in the semi-finals will compete for third place.