FIFA, Infantino, to examine 64-team World Cup for 2030 tournament

Lead

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said the possibility of expanding the men's World Cup to 64 teams will be examined after the current 2026 tournament. Speaking to Swiss media, Infantino acknowledged the idea, which would add another 16 nations to the competition, as reported by multiple outlets including Al Jazeera, BBC, and ABC Australia.

The 2026 World Cup, held across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is the first to feature 48 teams, a format that Infantino has called a "huge success" and "100 percent" the right decision. The tournament began on June 11 and is due to conclude on July 19 with the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from several outlets, including Al Jazeera, BBC, RFI, ABC Australia, and TASS, all quote Infantino as saying the expansion will be discussed in FIFA's relevant committees after the 2026 tournament. Infantino told Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport and news site Bluewin that "these are all issues that we will be examining after the World Cup," according to ABC Australia and BBC.

Infantino's comments come amid a broader debate about the tournament's size and structure. The 48-team format was adopted for 2026 after FIFA approved the expansion from 32 teams in 2017. The 32-team format had been used from 1998 through 2022. The 2026 edition features 104 matches over more than five weeks, as noted by Al Jazeera.

A 64-team World Cup would comprise 128 matches, 24 more than in 2026 and double the total staged under the old 32-team format, according to Al Jazeera. The logistical implications would include more stadiums, hotels, transport, and time, the outlet reported.

Key Claims

• FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the possibility of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams will be examined after the 2026 tournament, as reported by multiple outlets including ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, and BBC.
• The 2026 World Cup is being held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico with 48 national teams participating, a fact reported by all sources.
• Infantino said every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup, according to quotes carried by Al Jazeera, BBC, and ABC Australia.
• The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay hosting one match each to celebrate the tournament's centennial, as reported by Al Jazeera and BBC.
• The proposal for a 64-team tournament was put forward last year, according to BBC, which noted that a formal proposal was made by South American confederation CONMEBOL in April 2025.
• UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has called the proposal a "bad idea" for both the tournament and qualifiers, as reported by Al Jazeera and BBC.