FIFA president, Gianni Infantino has confirmed that football’s governing body will discuss expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams following the conclusion of the 2026 tournament, saying every nation should have the opportunity to dream of competing on football’s biggest stage.
The 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is already the first edition to feature 48 teams after expanding from 32. However, FIFA is now set to consider a further increase that could see the tournament grow to 64 teams in future editions.
“This is certainly an issue that will be looked at and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup,” Infantino told Swiss broadcaster, Blue Sport.
“When you organize a World Cup, it’s important that you organize it for the whole world. It’s not just Europe and South America, but the entire world. Every nation should be able to dream of taking part in the World Cup.”
Infantino argued that football standards are improving across all confederations and that broader participation would encourage smaller nations to continue developing.
The proposal for a 64-team tournament first gained momentum in March 2025 when South American governing body, CONMEBOL suggested expanding the centenary 2030 World Cup.
Infantino later met CONMEBOL president; Alejandro Domínguez, along with football association leaders from Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, to discuss the proposal.
Supporters believe a larger tournament would make the World Cup more inclusive, while critics fear it could dilute the competition and further congest an already packed football calendar.
Concacaf president, Victor Montagliani previously said he did not believe expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams was the right move for either the tournament or the wider football ecosystem. UEFA president, Aleksander Čeferin has also dismissed the idea, describing it as “a bad idea.”
If approved, a 64-team World Cup would feature 128 matches, double the total played under the previous 32-team format and significantly more than the 104 matches scheduled for the expanded 48-team 2026 tournament.
Oluwagbemisola Babalola
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