Global football governing body FIFA is planning to increase the number of participating teams in the 2030 World Cup to 64. FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that the proposal will be reviewed once the current 2026 World Cup concludes. However, he did not provide a specific timeline for these discussions.
The ongoing 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, marked the first time the tournament expanded to 48 teams. While the decision to increase the field initially drew heavy criticism, the expansion has ultimately intensified competition throughout the tournament.
“These are all matters we will evaluate after the World Cup. I believe it is vital to remember that when we host a World Cup, we do it for the entire world—not just for Europe and South America, but truly for every corner of the globe,” Infantino said during an interview with the Swiss television channel Blue Sport, as reported by Reuters on Monday, July 13, 2026.
He emphasized that every nation should have the right to dream of playing in the World Cup, noting that the quality of football is exceptionally high and steadily improving worldwide. According to him, denying smaller nations the chance to compete in the World Cup would strip them of the motivation to develop further. Infantino even hailed the current 48-team tournament as a massive success.
“Every team has performed at an elite level. Nations from every continent scored goals and secured at least one point. Remarkably, nine out of ten African teams advanced to the knockout stages, whereas the previous World Cup featured only five African teams in total. This proves how essential it is to involve more teams and grant them a platform to compete,” he added.
Infantino noted that scaling up the tournament from 48 to 64 teams could be a logical progression. “It will certainly be reviewed and debated within the relevant committees following this World Cup,” he stated.
From 1998 to 2022, the World Cup format featured 32 teams, making the 2026 edition the first to involve 48 countries. The subsequent 2030 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, while the 2034 tournament is slated for Saudi Arabia. Currently, France, Spain, England, and Argentina are the final four teams remaining to battle it out in the 2026 semifinals, bringing the tournament’s total to 104 matches.
The 2030 edition will be a multi-continental event, with the opening three matches scheduled to be played in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, with each nation hosting one game. The remainder of the tournament will take place in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. Expanding the tournament to 64 teams could allow these South American co-hosts to each host an entire four-team group stage instead of just a single match.
Key Evaluations
In addition to discussing future expansions, FIFA will also evaluate controversial issues regarding water breaks and high ticket pricing. The implementation of water breaks has drawn backlash, particularly as American broadcasters utilized the pauses to air longer commercial blocks.
“This topic has sparked considerable debate. Then again, we don’t aim for absolute perfection; we enjoy providing subjects for people to discuss. During last year’s Club World Cup in the United States, cooling breaks were implemented whenever the weather grew too hot. These brief breaks occurred in about 60% of the matches, but were skipped in the remaining 40% due to milder temperatures. This led to numerous complaints, as critics argued that all teams should play under identical conditions,” Infantino explained.
Infantino also defended the high cost of World Cup tickets, pointing out that despite complaints about pricing, stadiums have been packed to a 99.7% capacity. He revealed that FIFA is projected to generate 13 to 14 billion Swiss francs (approximately 16.08 to 17.32 billion USD or around Rp 290 billion) in total revenue from the 39-day tournament.
