FIFA to review 64-team plan for 2030 World Cup
Gianni Infantino said FIFA committees will discuss adding 16 teams after the 2026 tournament, Reuters reported.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
2 min read
FIFA will review whether to expand the World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 tournament, president Gianni Infantino said in an interview with Swiss outlet Bluewin, according to Reuters. The proposal would add 16 places to a competition that has already grown to 48 teams in 2026, potentially changing the shape of a tournament due to be played across multiple continents.
Infantino told Bluewin that increasing the field from 48 to 64 teams could be reasonable, Reuters reported. He said the matter would be considered after the current World Cup by FIFA’s relevant committees.
The World Cup used a 32-team format from 1998 through 2022, according to Reuters. The 2026 edition is the first with 48 teams, a change made under Infantino’s presidency.
Infantino defended the broader field in the Bluewin interview, saying the tournament should represent more than Europe and South America. He argued that countries need a realistic route into the World Cup to encourage continued improvement, Reuters reported.
According to Reuters, Infantino described the 48-team format as a “huge success.” He said teams from every continent had scored goals and earned at least one point in the 2026 tournament, and pointed to African teams’ performance as evidence for wider participation.
Nine of the 10 African teams at the 2026 World Cup reached the knockout stage, Infantino told Bluewin, according to Reuters. He contrasted that with the previous tournament, when Africa had five teams in the field.
The current tournament is close to its conclusion. Reuters reported that Argentina, England, France and Spain remain, with two semifinals and the final left from a 104-match schedule played in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The 2030 World Cup is already planned as a multi-continent event, Reuters reported. Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay are scheduled to stage the first three matches, one in each country, while Morocco, Portugal and Spain are set to host the rest of the tournament.
Reuters reported that a 64-team format could allow the three South American hosts to stage one four-team group each, rather than only one match apiece. FIFA has not announced a decision on the expansion idea, and Infantino’s comments place the question before internal committees after the 2026 event.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.