FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the governing body will consider expanding the 2030 World Cup from 48 to 64 teams.
FIFA will examine a proposal to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, president Gianni Infantino said, potentially adding another 16 nations to the tournament.
“A 64-team tournament is definitely an issue that will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup,” Infantino said.
Infantino described the 48-team format as a success and argued that broader participation could encourage football development in smaller countries.
The South American Football Confederation had previously proposed a one-off 64-team tournament in 2025 to mark the World Cup’s centenary.
At the time, CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez said the expansion would allow more countries to participate in the anniversary edition, 100 years after Uruguay hosted the inaugural tournament.
The proposal has faced opposition from senior football officials. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said a 64-team competition would weaken both the World Cup and regional qualifying tournaments.
The 2030 World Cup will be hosted primarily by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay will each stage one opening match as part of the centenary celebrations.
Under the existing 48-team format, the tournament would feature 104 matches. A 64-team competition would require FIFA to revise the qualification system, tournament structure, and match schedule.