FIFA President Gianni Infantino just watched the first 48-team World Cup kick off across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. His immediate reaction: that’s not enough teams.
Infantino announced on July 12 that expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams will be formally examined by FIFA committees after the current tournament wraps up. The target would be the 2030 edition, and the proposal traces back to South America’s football confederation, CONMEBOL, which floated the idea in April 2025.
From 32 to 48 to possibly 64
The World Cup operated with 32 teams from 1998 through 2022. The jump to 48 for the 2026 edition was itself controversial, with critics arguing it would dilute competitive quality. Now, before anyone has even finished digesting the 48-team format, the conversation has leapfrogged to 64.
A 64-team field would mean roughly 30% of FIFA’s 211 member associations could qualify for the tournament.
