FIFA is assessing the potential impact of expanding the 2030 World Cup from 48 to 64 teams, according to a document seen by Reuters.
The tournament was expanded from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 edition, increasing the number of groups from eight to 12 and adding an extra knockout round.
South American football governing body CONMEBOL formally proposed expanding the 2030 tournament to 64 teams last year, saying the move would allow more countries to take part in celebrations marking the World Cup's centennial.
"FIFA wishes to appoint an independent agency to determine whether and how expanding the FIFA World Cup from 48 to 64 participating national teams, starting with the 2030 edition, would impact the tournament proposition," it said in a research brief.
The accelerated study comes as FIFA pursues plans to create a $20 billion subsidiary to manage the World Cup and its other competitions with external investors, a move that has drawn criticism and prompted UEFA to boycott FIFA events.
