FIFA World Cup 2030 Expand To 64 Teams?
The football governing body is looking for yet another expansion of its marquee event by 2030. This new development comes after a meeting at the FIFA Council on Wednesday. The 2026 tournament, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will feature 48 teams for the first time, instead the regular 32.
Reports claim that FIFA President Gianni Infantino is ready to consider adding 14 more teams. FIFA will consider expanding the World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 tournament. However, this proposal was met with stunned silence. Even though the proposal is controversial, Infantino seems open to considering it. Approval of this new proposal could make the qualification process across the globe somewhat meaningless.
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“A proposal to analyze a 64-team FIFA World Cup to celebrate the centenary of the FIFA World Cup in 2030 was spontaneously raised by a FIFA Council member in the ‘Miscellaneous’ agenda item near the end of the FIFA Council meeting held on March 5, 2025,” a FIFA spokesperson told Reuters.
In the 48-team tournament in 2026, a total of 104 games will be played across the hosting countries, and a further expansion of the teams would only bloat the schedule. However, Infantino seems to consider the possibility of once again tinkering with the format of a tournament that has been running since 1930.
As per the New York Times, the proposal was made by Ignacio Alonso, a delegate from Uruguay. The report said that, according to three people in the meeting, “FIFA is likely to be guided by financial and political benefits as much as sporting ones when it comes to making a decision on the matter.”
The 2030 World Cup is set to be hosted by Spain, Morocco, and Portugal, with Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay staging three matches to commemorate the inaugural 1930 tournament. Initially, the event was planned to feature 48 teams. With the new proposal, the competition would reach a whole new level, increasing not only the number of teams but also the total matches and logistical complexity of the event. Expanding to 64 teams would mean a jump from 104 to 128 matches, presenting significant challenges in terms of organization, infrastructure, and sustainability. According to The Times, the number of trips required for such a large-scale tournament could have a considerable environmental impact.
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However, it’s no secret that the football governing body will consider multiple factors before making a decision. As per sources cited by the New York Times, FIFA might lean toward the expansion based on financial and political benefits, which will allow more nations to participate in football’s biggest stage.
Though the decision has not been finalized, the raising of the proposal in the meeting means it remains a possibility. Until then, the footballing world will have to wait and watch closely to see if the World Cup centennial will bring a historic change to the tournament’s format.
