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Rabat – FIFA is expected to examine a proposal to expand the 2030 World Cup from 48 to 64 teams.
The tournament will be mainly hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain, while Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will each stage one opening match to mark the competition’s 100th anniversary.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the governing body’s relevant committees would consider the possibility of expanding the tournament following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup.
“It is definitely an issue that will be examined and discussed,” Infantino said.
No formal decision has been made, and the proposal has not yet been scheduled for a vote by the FIFA Council.
South America supports the proposal
CONMEBOL initially presented the idea during a FIFA Council meeting in March 2025.
CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez has supported a one-off 64-team tournament as part of the World Cup centenary celebrations.
Under the current hosting plan, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will each stage only one match. Expanding the competition could allow the three South American countries to host more fixtures.
It could also increase the number of South American teams participating in the tournament and generate additional commercial, broadcasting and ticketing revenue for FIFA.
How the format could work
A possible 64-team format would include 16 groups of four teams.
The top two teams from each group would qualify for the round of 32, removing the need to rank the best third-placed teams.
However, the tournament would increase to 128 matches, compared with 104 matches during the 48-team edition and 64 matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The additional teams and fixtures would create significant logistical demands.
Morocco, Portugal and Spain would need to provide more training bases, accommodation, transport services and suitable stadiums throughout the competition.
Infantino defends further expansion
Infantino has described the first 48-team World Cup as a major success.
He argued that smaller football nations should be given a realistic opportunity to qualify and compete on the sport’s biggest stage.
“Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup,” he said.
Supporters of expansion believe more teams would increase the tournament’s global reach and encourage football development in countries that rarely qualify.
They also point to the performances of debuting nations and the strong showing of African teams during the 2026 tournament.
Football leaders oppose the idea
Several senior football officials have publicly rejected the proposal.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin described a 64-team World Cup as a bad idea for both the tournament and the qualification process.
Asian Football Confederation President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa also warned that continuous expansion could eventually create chaos.
Concacaf President Victor Montagliani expressed similar concerns, saying another expansion would be premature following the recent increase from 32 to 48 teams.
Critics believe adding more countries could weaken the quality of the competition, produce more one-sided matches and reduce the importance of qualifying for the World Cup.
They also fear that playing 96 group-stage matches could overwhelm supporters and reduce interest during the opening weeks.
Final decision rests with FIFA council
Any expansion would require approval from the 37-member FIFA Council.
FIFA has not indicated when the issue could be put to a vote, meaning the 64-team proposal remains only an idea under consideration.
The governing body must determine whether greater participation and increased revenue would outweigh the logistical difficulties and possible impact on the tournament’s quality.
For Morocco, Portugal and Spain, approval would transform the 2030 edition into the largest World Cup ever staged.
The governing body must determine
