FIFA President Gianni Infantino has revealed that football's global governing body is actively reviewing a proposal to scale the World Cup up to an unprecedented 64-team tournament for the 2030 edition. The ambitious proposal, originally put forward by South American football executives, is being evaluated for the 2030 centenary tournament, which is already scheduled to be hosted across six countries on three separate continents. If approved, the format would allow nearly a third of all FIFA member nations to secure a spot in the finals, moving past the 48-team structure debut at the 2026 North American tournament.
Infantino Calls for Global Inclusion
“These are all issues that we will be examining after the World Cup,” Infantino stated during an interview with Swiss television outlet Blue Sport. “I think it is important that when you want to organise a World Cup, you do it for the whole world — not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world.” Infantino, who previously spearheaded the transition from 32 to 48 teams, argued that broader global inclusion is necessary to sustain the growth of the sport in developing football regions.
Rising Standards Justify Expansion
The FIFA chief highlighted the rising competitive standard of international teams as a primary justification for opening up more tournament slots, pointing to the ongoing 2026 tournament as evidence that expansion does not dilute the quality of play. “Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup,” Infantino added. “You can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high and it’s getting higher and higher, all over the world. If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they’ll lack the incentive to keep improving.”
African Success as Proof of Concept
To illustrate his point, Infantino pointed to the standout performances of African nations in the current tournament structure as proof of how expanded access yields immediate competitive dividends. “Every team played at a high level. Teams from every continent scored goals and earned at least one point. Nine out of 10 African teams reached the knockout stage. At the last World Cup, there were only five teams from Africa. That just goes to show how important it is to include all teams, to give them this opportunity to participate,” he said.
From 32 to 64: A Structural Shift
The tournament maintained a strict 32-team format from 1998 through 2022. Despite initial skepticism from critics regarding the jump to 48 teams for the 2026 edition, FIFA leadership has already labeled the current 104-match tournament across the United States, Mexico, and Canada a complete success due to record-breaking attendance and high television viewership. This positive internal reception has given executives the confidence to explore a 64-team matrix, a move that would fundamentally reshape continental qualification pathways and the entire structural timeline of the tournament.
