FIFA Considers Expanding 2030 World Cup to 64 Nations

FIFA’s enlarged World Cup is poised for further expansion.

The competition introduced a 48‑team format this summer, expanding from the prior 32‑team structure, and President Gianni Infantino has indicated that the World Cup could grow even larger in 2030.

In an interview with Swiss outlet Bluewin, Infantino said FIFA is considering a 64‑team format for the 2030 tournament.

“That is certainly an issue that will be examined and debated by the appropriate committees following this World Cup,” Infantino said. “When planning a World Cup, it is crucial to ensure it serves the entire globe, not just Europe and South America, but truly the whole world.”

“Every nation should be given the opportunity to dream of playing in the World Cup. The caliber of teams is exceptionally high and continues to rise worldwide. Without pathways for smaller nations to compete, they would have little motivation to improve.”

Although the expanded format lessened the drama of the group stage—since 32 of the 48 teams progressed to the knockout round—several surprising performances have emerged, as Infantino noted.

Cape Verde advanced beyond the group stage before falling narrowly to Argentina in the round of 32, while DR Congo came close to upsetting England in the same knockout round.

After the Canada‑United States‑Mexico edition, the forthcoming World Cup will be co‑hosted mainly by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.

It has been a tremendous success with 48 teams. Every participant performed at a high level, and teams from each continent scored goals and secured at least one point,” he said.

“Nine out of ten African teams advanced to the knockout stage, compared with only five in the previous tournament, underscoring the importance of providing all nations the chance to compete.”

Spain, France, England, and Argentina are the remaining teams, with their semifinals scheduled for this week.

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