FIFA to explore expansion of World Cup to 64 teams to release by 2030: Infantino
Fresh from the quarter-final stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, President Gianni Infantino has strongly hinted that the tournament could get even more heated, confirming that a 64-team format will be evaluated ahead of the 2030 edition.
In an interview with Swiss media outlet Bluewin, Infantino defended the governing body’s relentless push for expansion, declaring the current experiment with 48 teams in North America a “100% success”.
His remarks come just as the tournament’s semi-final line-up has been confirmedfeaturing the traditional heavyweights of England, Spain, France and Argentina. Ironically, despite an expanded field designed to offer greater global representation, the final four is made up entirely of established European and South American powers.
However, Infantino still insists that the way forward involves expanding the network.
“It (the 64-team tournament) is definitely an issue that will be explored and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup,” Infantino said.
The FIFA president reiterated his long-standing position that football’s event must truly reflect the global game, rather than acting as a closed shop for elite nations.
“The World Cup is for the whole world, not just Europe and South America,” he said.
“Every nation should be able to dream of participating in the World Cup.
“You can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high – and it’s getting higher and higher, all over the world.”
The expansion to 48 teams for the current edition in the United States, Canada and Mexico was initially met with widespread skepticism. Critics have warned of watered-down quality, logistical nightmares and a punishing schedule for players already bearing the brunt of a congested domestic calendar.
HOW WILL THE 64-TEAM WC WORK
However, Infantino believes the format has validated FIFA’s vision by accelerating the development of emerging football nations.
“If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they will lack the motivation to keep improving,” he added.
If the 64-team proposal makes its way through the boardroom, it would mean a radical overhaul for the 2030 World Cup – the centenary edition to be held primarily in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, along with opening ceremonies in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
In the ongoing FIFA World Cup, there were 12 groups of four teams in the group stage. The top two from each group and the top eight third-placed teams advanced to the round of 32.
The 64-team structure would theoretically simplify the group stages and remove the complex mathematics of third-place qualifying in favor of 16 groups of four, with the top two advancing to a direct knockout round of 32.
However, it would also inflate the competition to a staggering 128 games, inevitably sparking fresh opposition from UEFA, domestic leagues and players’ unions over welfare concerns. For now, FIFA is focused on crowning a champion from the known continents, but the foundations for further expansion are firmly laid.
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
12 Jul 2026 17:56 IST