FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced that the organization will examine the possibility of expanding the men's World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 tournament. Speaking to the Swiss news site Bluewin, Infantino said the proposal would be reviewed by FIFA's relevant committees following the 2026 World Cup, which is the first to feature 48 teams after expanding from the previous 32-team format used from 1998 to 2022.
Infantino described the expansion to 48 teams as a “huge success,” noting that "teams from every continent scored goals and earned at least one point," and highlighted that "nine out of 10 African teams reached the knockout stage."
The idea of a 64-team World Cup was initially proposed in March 2025 by Uruguayan Football Federation President Ignacio Alonso during a FIFA Council meeting. However, not all officials agree with the expansion. Sheikh Salman expressed opposition last year, stating, “Personally, I don’t agree. If the issue remains open to change, then the door will not only be open to expanding the tournament to 64 teams, but someone might come along and demand raising the number to 132 teams.”
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup held in Uruguay in 1930, three centenary matches will be played in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay before the 2030 tournament officially begins in its three main host nations.
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