FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that world football’s governing body will examine a proposal to expand the FIFA World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 edition following the conclusion of the ongoing 2026 tournament.
The current World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is the first to feature 48 teams after the competition was expanded from the previous 32-team format used between 1998 and 2022.
Speaking to Swiss media outlet Bluewin, Infantino said the proposal would be formally discussed by FIFA’s decision-making bodies.
“It (a 64-team tournament) is definitely an issue that will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup,” Infantino said.
He also stressed that the World Cup should remain a truly global competition, saying it is “for the whole world, not just Europe and South America”.
