FIFA President Considers Expanding World Cup Finals to 64 Teams from 2030

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has revealed plans to consider expanding the World Cup finals to 64 teams, potentially beginning with the 2030 tournament. This proposal follows the recent expansion of the tournament to 48 teams for the 2026 World Cup hosted in North America.

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Every country should be able to dream of participating in the World Cup. The transition to a 64-team format is something to be discussed after the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Infantino expressed his vision that "every country should be able to dream of participating in the World Cup." He stated that the transition to a 64-team format would be discussed after the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup. He highlighted the increasing competitiveness of national teams globally, suggesting that more opportunities for "weaker football nations" are crucial for their development and motivation.

The current expansion to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament will see 104 matches played. A 64-team format would double the number of matches to 128, significantly increasing the scale of the event. This potential increase in matches has raised concerns among some officials regarding player workload and the overall quality of play.

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The level of teams from each country is constantly improving. If we don't give opportunities to the weaker football nations to participate in the World Cup, they will lose the motivation to develop.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has previously voiced opposition to the idea, calling a 64-team format for the 2030 World Cup "not a good idea" when it was proposed by the South American Football Confederation. The increased number of games could lead to greater physical strain on players and potentially dilute the excitement of the tournament.

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It's not a good idea.