FIFA president opens door to 64-team World Cup after 2026

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has opened the door to potentially expanding the men's World Cup to 64 teams following the 2026 tournament. He believes such an expansion warrants serious consideration to provide more global opportunities in football's premier event.

Infantino stated that a larger World Cup does not necessarily mean teams would play more matches if the format were adjusted. He suggested that a system where only the top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage could be implemented. "The whole world must be given the opportunity to dream of the World Cup, not just Europe and South America," he told Swiss portal blue Sport.

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The whole world must be given the opportunity to dream of the World Cup, not just Europe and South America.

The 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is already set to be the first edition featuring 48 teams, an increase from the previous 32. This new format includes eight third-placed teams qualifying for the knockout rounds, aiming to make the tournament more accessible to nations that have historically struggled to reach the highest level of world football.

Infantino dismissed concerns about a potential decline in competition quality due to the increased number of teams. He pointed to the current 2026 tournament as evidence that the expansion has been successful, noting the high overall quality of play. "This expansion is a great success. You can see the quality of the teams as a whole is very high and is improving worldwide," he said. The 2026 edition features a record 104 matches over five weeks, and a 64-team format could potentially increase this to 128 matches.

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This expansion is a great success. You can see the quality of the teams as a whole is very high and is improving worldwide.