As 2026 World Cup Nears End, Potential Expansion for 2030 Set for Discussion

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said the possibility of expanding the 2030 FIFA World Cup to 64 teams will be reviewed after the conclusion of the 2026 tournament.

In an interview with Swiss media outlet Bluewin, Infantino said increasing the tournament from the current 48 teams to 64 is an idea worth considering.

"That's definitely an issue that will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup," he said.

Infantino argued that the World Cup should serve the entire global football community rather than just traditional powerhouses in Europe and South America.

"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. Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup," he said. "The quality of the teams is extremely high and continues to improve around the world. If smaller countries are not given the chance to participate, they will lack the incentive to keep developing."

The World Cup featured 32 teams from 1998 through 2022, while the ongoing 2026 tournament is the first edition with an expanded 48-team format.

Only four teams -- Argentina, England, France and Spain -- remain in contention, with two semifinal matches and the final left to play from the tournament's 104-match schedule across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Infantino described the expanded 48-team format as a "huge success."

"Every team played at a high level. Teams from every continent scored goals and earned at least one point," he said. "Nine out of 10 African teams reached the knockout stage. At the last World Cup, there were only five teams from Africa. That shows how important it is to give all nations the opportunity to participate."

The 2030 World Cup will be staged across six countries on three continents. Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each host one opening match, while the remainder of the tournament will take place in Morocco, Portugal and Spain.

If FIFA approves a further expansion to 64 teams, the three South American hosts could each stage an entire four-team group instead of a single match.