FIFA President Gianni Infantino Hints at Possible World Cup Expansion to 64 Teams

The 2026 FIFA World Cup marked the largest tournament field yet, expanding from 32 to 48 teams. Now, the possibility of adding even more teams is on the table. FIFA President Gianni Infantino recently indicated that after this World Cup concludes, discussions about further expansion will take place.

Infantino’s Comments on Future Growth

Speaking to Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport, Infantino did not dismiss the idea of increasing the number of participating nations to 64. He explained that a World Cup should represent the entire globe, not just Europe and South America. He pointed out that giving smaller countries a chance to compete encourages their football development.

“Every nation should be able to dream of taking part in the World Cup. We can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high, and it’s getting higher and higher everywhere in the world,” Infantino said, as reported by ESPN.

Support From CONMEBOL

Earlier, in March 2025, CONMEBOL, South America’s football confederation, proposed expanding the tournament to 64 teams for the 2030 World Cup, which will mark the event’s 100th anniversary. CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez called for unity and creativity, emphasizing that football is a global celebration when everyone can participate.

What Would a 64-Team World Cup Mean?

If approved, the 64-team format would increase the number of matches dramatically. The tournament would feature 128 games, doubling the 64 matches played under the 32-team format used from 1998 to 2022. This year’s expanded 48-team setup holds 104 matches.

A larger field might simplify how teams advance from the group stage. Currently, some third-place teams move forward based on tiebreakers. With 64 teams, no third-place teams would progress, potentially creating a more straightforward knockout round qualification.