FIFA President Gianni Infantino has floated the idea of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams by 2030.
He made the announcement during an interview with Bluewin.
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Infantino said the proposal would be examined by relevant committees after the ongoing tournament. He emphasized the importance of making the World Cup a truly global event.
"When organising a World Cup, it's important to organise it for the whole world – not just Europe and South America – but effectively the entire world," he stated.
Expansion from 32 to 48 Teams
The World Cup has already undergone a major expansion.
The tournament grew from 32 teams, used between 1998 and 2022, to 48 teams for the 2026 edition.
Infantino described the current format as a "huge success."
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He noted that every participating team played at a high level, with teams from all continents scoring goals and earning points.
He highlighted that nine out of ten African teams advanced to the knockout stage in the current World Cup.
This is a significant improvement from the previous tournament, where only five African teams reached that stage.
2030 World Cup Plans
The 2030 World Cup is set to be a multi-continent event. Matches are scheduled in Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.
Infantino suggested that expanding to 64 teams could allow South American nations to host one four-team group each.
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This would enhance local engagement in the tournament.
