Infantino opens door to 64‑team World Cup

Mon Sep 14 2026 14:05:32 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

FIFA president Gianni Infantino signals that after the 2026 tournament the governing body will examine whether to expand the World Cup to 64 teams.

After the 2026 finals FIFA plans to assess the feasibility of a 64‑team tournament. Infantino applauded the success of the 48‑team format and urged the sport to be inclusive of every nation. The proposal, first raised by CONMEBOL, still faces scepticism from UEFA, AFC and Concacaf, though the United States shows willingness to host a bigger edition. FIFA’s council will ultimately decide, but no immediate expansion is on the horizon.

Infantino opens door to 64‑team World Cup

Gianni Infantino, FIFA’s president since 2016, said that after the 2026 finals the governing body will assess whether the tournament could be expanded to 64 teams.

Infantino holding his arms out

Having first promoted a 40‑team format, the board approved 48 teams in 2017 and moved the 48‑team World Cup to 2026. The success of that format, with nine of ten African squads reaching the knock‑out stages, gave FIFA a “huge success” confirmation.

Infantino remarked: “When organising a World Cup, it’s important to organise it for the whole world – not just Europe and South America – so every nation should be able to dream of participating.” He argued that higher quality worldwide would drive smaller nations to keep improving.

In April 2025, CONMEBOL put forward a proposal to boost the 2030 edition to 64 teams, which would see eleven host countries. However, UEFA president Aleksandar Ceferin dismissed the idea, calling it a “bad idea” for both the tournament and the qualifying system.

AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al‑Khalifa agreed, warning that further expansion would bring “chaos.” Concacaf’s Victor Montagliani said the suggestion “doesn’t feel right” and could damage the broader football ecosystem.

The United States’ executive director of the White House’s World Cup task force, Andrew Giuliani, said the country could consider a bid for the 2038 tournament and would be able to handle a 64‑team format.

FIFA’s standard position is to discuss expansion proposals with stakeholders and assess any council member suggestions, but the council has yet to indicate an immediate move towards 64 teams.