FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends the World Cup quarter-final match between Norway and England at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, US, on 11/7. Photo: AP

FIFA is considering a significant expansion of the 2030 World Cup, potentially increasing the number of participating teams to 64. This proposal comes after FIFA President Gianni Infantino declared the success of the current 2026 tournament, which debuted a 48-team format, exceeded expectations. If approved, the 2030 World Cup would become the largest in history, doubling the size of the 1998-2022 tournaments.

The discussion around further expansion was confirmed by Infantino in an interview with Swiss media outlet Bluewin on 12/7. He stated that the proposal to add 16 more teams "will certainly be considered and discussed." The 2026 World Cup marked the first time the tournament expanded from 32 to 48 teams, featuring 104 matches instead of the previous 64. Infantino highlighted that this new model proved more successful than anticipated, laying the groundwork for FIFA to contemplate the next step.

Infantino emphasized the importance of a global perspective when organizing the World Cup. "When organizing the World Cup, it is important to think about the whole world, not just Europe and South America," he said. "Every country needs to have the right to dream of participating in the World Cup. The quality of national teams is increasing globally. If we do not give opportunities to smaller football nations, they will lack the motivation to continue developing." He believes the 2026 World Cup demonstrated a narrowing gap in skill levels between continents. Teams from all federations scored goals and earned points in the group stage, with nine out of ten African representatives advancing past the group stage, a significant increase compared to previous World Cups.

Evidence supporting Infantino’s argument includes newcomer Cape Verde, who became a standout team by drawing with Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia to secure a spot in the round of 16. The African team then narrowly lost 2-3 to defending champion Argentina after extra time in a memorable match.

However, the expansion also revealed some drawbacks. Haiti, Tunisia, Iraq, Jordan, Uzbekistan, and Panama were all eliminated from the group stage without earning any points. Some coaches and experts suggest that a considerable skill gap still exists, leading to many matches lacking competitiveness. Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz was among the critics, commenting after the group stage that the increase to 48 teams devalued the qualifiers and made the World Cup "too ordinary."

Ruben Dias (number 3) challenges Uzbekistan striker Eldor Shomurodov (number 14) during a World Cup 2026 Group K match at Houston, Texas, US, on 23/6. Photo: AP

The idea of a 64-team World Cup is not new. In March 2025, Uruguayan Football Federation President Ignacio Alonso first presented this proposal at a FIFA Council meeting. By November 2025, South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) President Alejandro Dominguez referred to it as his "dream." CONMEBOL is the strongest supporter of the expansion plan. The 2030 World Cup will mark the 100th anniversary of the tournament, with three opening matches scheduled to take place in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, before the remainder of the tournament is hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. If the World Cup expands to 64 teams, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay could potentially host entire groups, rather than just one opening match each, thereby increasing South America's role in the centennial celebration.

Conversely, many European football leaders oppose this plan. Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) President Aleksander Ceferin previously called it a "bad idea," arguing that a 64-team World Cup would diminish the quality of the tournament and render the European regional qualifiers meaningless. Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) President Victor Montagliani has expressed a similar viewpoint. Opponents argue that with 64 teams, more than a quarter of FIFA’s 211 member associations would participate in the finals. This would mean many strong teams would almost certainly qualify, making continental qualifiers less engaging. Even with the current 48-team format, South America already has six out of ten teams securing direct qualification spots, along with one intercontinental playoff spot. Should the World Cup expand further, the proportion of participating teams would become even higher.

Beyond professional concerns, many also worry that an increasingly dense match schedule will heighten the risk of player overload. Clubs and UEFA have consistently criticized FIFA for years for expanding the number of international tournaments, which reduces players' rest periods.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (left) converses with UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin after a speech at the 50th annual UEFA Congress in Brussels, Belgium, on 12/2. Photo: AFP

Despite these objections, FIFA retains grounds to pursue the plan. Increasing the number of teams means more member federations will have the opportunity to participate in the World Cup, thereby generating additional revenue and fostering football development. This has been a key direction Infantino has pursued since becoming FIFA President in 2016.

According to predictions from the specialized publication Silver Bulletin, if the 2030 World Cup features 64 teams, Europe would benefit most with 22 direct qualification spots and two playoff spots (22+2). Africa would receive 12+1, Asia 10+1, North and Central America 8+1, South America 7+2, and Oceania 1+1. Vietnam is currently ranked 17th in Asia, so a 64-team World Cup would increase its chances of participation, though it would still not be among the top contenders.

Hoang An (according to Telegraph, Al Jazeera)