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Gianni Infantino hints at expansion to 64-team World Cup before 2030 event
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has indicated that officials will consider expanding the men's World Cup from 48 to 64 teams before the 2030 tournament, telling the Swiss outlet Bluewin that such a move "could make sense" and would be examined and discussed by the relevant committees after the current event. He framed the potential expansion as a way of making the competition genuinely global, arguing that giving smaller nations a chance to qualify gives them an incentive to keep improving.
The World Cup featured 32 teams from 1998 to 2022, with the 2026 edition being the first to use a 48-team format across a 104-match schedule, of which only the semi-finals, third-place playoff and final remain. Infantino hailed the enlarged tournament as a "huge success", noting that nine of the 10 African teams reached the knockout stage compared with only five African participants qualifying at the last World Cup. The 2030 tournament is already set to be spread across multiple continents, with opening matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay and the remaining games in Morocco, Portugal and Spain; a 64-team field could allow each South American host to stage a full four-team group rather than a single match.
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The case for
Supporters of expansion argue that a 64-team World Cup would genuinely democratise football globally whilst maintaining quality standards, as evidenced by the 48-team format's success in improving African participation rates. Expanding the tournament provides smaller nations with realistic qualification targets that incentivise long-term investment in grassroots development, aligning with football's stated mission to be a universal sport rather than an elite competition. The additional matches generate substantial revenue that can fund development programmes worldwide, and hosting arrangements, particularly in South America, become more logically structured with complete four-team groups.
The case against
Critics contend that further expansion threatens tournament integrity and player welfare by extending an already lengthy competition beyond practical limits, whilst diluting the prestige of World Cup qualification itself. A 64-team field would inevitably include nations insufficiently prepared to compete, lowering overall standards and potentially creating lopsided matches that diminish sporting drama. The expansion primarily serves FIFA's commercial interests rather than genuine competitive or developmental goals, and the existing 48-team format already adequately accommodates emerging nations without sacrificing the tournament's meaning and balance.
Explained simply
The men's football World Cup featured 32 competing nations every four years from 1998 to 2022. The tournament is undergoing significant changes, with the 2026 edition being the first to expand to 48 teams – a major shift in how the competition is structured.
An expanded World Cup gives smaller nations a better chance of qualifying, which can provide incentive for them to improve their football. The 2030 World Cup is already planned to be hosted across three continents – South America, Africa and Europe – which adds context for how an expanded tournament could be organised.
The expanded format has already shown effects in the current tournament. More African nations have reached the knockout stages this year compared with previous World Cups, suggesting that a larger field creates opportunities for emerging football nations to participate at the highest level.
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