FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced that officials will examine the possibility of expanding the World Cup by an additional 16 teams before the 2030 event. Speaking to Bluewin, a Swiss media outlet, Infantino stated that increasing the field from 48 to 64 teams could make sense and will be discussed in relevant committees following the current tournament.
Infantino described the current 48-team format, first introduced in the 2026 edition, as a huge success. He noted that including more nations provides smaller countries the incentive to improve and ensures the tournament represents the entire world rather than just Europe and South America. As an example of this success, he pointed out that nine out of 10 African teams reached the knockout stage, compared to only five in the previous World Cup.
The World Cup featured 32 teams from 1998 through 2022. The current edition, hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, consists of a 104-match schedule with Argentina, England, France, and Spain remaining in the competition.
The 2030 tournament is planned as a multi-continent effort, with the first three matches scheduled for Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, and the remaining games in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. A potential expansion to 64 teams could allow the South American host nations to each host one four-team group instead of a single match.