Beyond 2026: Where is the World Cup headed?

The FIFA World Cup is on a trajectory toward becoming larger, more expensive, and fundamentally transformative for the sport. As the 2026 tournament expands to 48 teams, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has already signaled openness to a further increase to 64 teams.

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The future of the World Cup will be bigger, more expensive – and will also fundamentally change football.

This expansion aims to tap into "untapped billion-dollar markets" like India, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, where football's popularity lags despite their massive populations. The article notes that eight of the world's ten most populous countries were not even represented in the 2026 World Cup, highlighting a significant gap in global football's reach.

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For the World Cup organizers, this sport is just a show and a product and can therefore be sold arbitrarily to the highest bidder, with or without football tradition.

The logistical challenges of hosting such an expanded tournament are immense. The 2026 World Cup, with 104 matches, required sixteen stadiums across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. A 64-team format, potentially featuring 128 games, would necessitate twenty to twenty-two stadiums, making it nearly impossible for a single nation to host. This growth also raises concerns about a "qualitative dilution" of the game itself.

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The easiest way to support these sleeping giants would be with another World Cup expansion.

Wealthy nations with streamlined decision-making processes, such as Saudi Arabia, which is set to host the 2034 World Cup, are seen as prime candidates for future tournaments. The article suggests that FIFA views football primarily as a "show and a product," available for sale to the highest bidder, regardless of traditional footballing heritage. The immense commercial appeal, it implies, often overshadows criticism once the games begin.

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It would therefore be almost impossible to host a World Cup in just one country in the future.