FIFA to Examine 64-Team World Cup After 2026 Tournament

FIFA will examine expanding the men's World Cup to 64 teams after the 2026 tournament concludes, president Gianni Infantino told Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport. The move would double the number of matches from the 48-team format used in 2026 to 128 games.

Infantino said the decision follows the success of the expanded 48-team tournament and the need to give more nations a chance to qualify. "When organizing a World Cup, it's important to organize it for the whole world - not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world," Infantino said.

The 2030 event will be hosted primarily by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with opening matches in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Infantino noted that nine of ten African teams reached the knockout stages in 2026, compared with five teams from the continent at the previous tournament.

He said this improvement shows the value of broader participation.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin called the idea a "bad idea" for both the tournament and qualifying process. " Concacaf president Victor Montagliani said the proposal "doesn't feel right" and would damage the broader football ecosystem. No timeline has been set for a decision, which would require approval by the FIFA council.

"This is certainly an issue that will be looked at and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup," Infantino said.