The Wild Plan to Make the World Cup 64 Teams

Updated July 12, 2026 9 min read

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Infantino 64-Team World Cup: FIFA’s Wild Plan to Double the Tournament

TL;DR: FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed the organization will formally examine the possibility of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams, potentially as early as the 2030 tournament. The proposal would double the current 32-team legacy format and add 16 more nations beyond the 48-team format set for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The idea has drawn mixed reactions from football federations, player associations, and fans worldwide.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated in July 2026 that the governing body will look into the possibility of a 64-team World Cup, opening the door to the largest tournament format in the history of football’s flagship event. The announcement came during recent FIFA proceedings, with Infantino confirming that the expansion idea will be formally studied ahead of the 2030 World Cup.

Quick Answer

FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed in July 2026 that FIFA will examine the feasibility of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams. This would be a massive jump from the current 48-team format approved for the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The proposal is still in the early discussion phase, with no binding decision made. If approved, 64 teams would match the number of clubs in a typical European Champions League group-stage draw and would give significantly more nations a chance to participate in football’s biggest event.

Key Takeaways

Gianni Infantino confirmed FIFA will study a 64-team World Cup format ahead of the 2030 tournament.
The current format is expanding from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
A 64-team tournament would mean more matches, more host requirements, and significant logistical challenges.
Reactions from football stakeholders are divided, with some praising inclusivity and others raising concerns about match quality.
No formal decision has been made — FIFA is in the examination phase only.

How the World Cup Format Has Evolved Over the Decades

The FIFA World Cup has undergone several major expansions throughout its history since the inaugural tournament in 1930. Understanding how the tournament grew to its current state provides important context for the 64-team proposal.

Era	Number of Teams	Years Active	Number of Matches
Early Years	13–16	1930–1978	16–38
First Expansion	24	1982–1994	52
Modern Standard	32	1998–2022	64
Current Expansion	48	2026 onward	104
Proposed Format	64	2030 (under review)	TBD (estimated 128+)

The jump from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was itself controversial when announced in 2017. Adding another 16 teams on top of that would represent an unprecedented expansion in a single cycle.

What Infantino Said About the 64-Team World Cup

According to reports from ESPN, The Athletic, and Al Jazeera, Gianni Infantino stated that FIFA will formally examine the possibility of a 64-team World Cup. The president framed the proposal as part of FIFA’s broader mission to make football a truly global game, giving more nations the opportunity to compete at the highest level.

Research shows that Infantino has consistently pushed for tournament expansion since taking over as FIFA president in 2016. The increase from 32 to 48 teams was his first major structural change. Industry data indicates that the 2026 World Cup will already feature 16 more teams than any previous tournament, with 48 nations competing across 16 host cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Why FIFA Is Considering a 64-Team Format

According to FIFA’s stated goals, several factors drive the consideration of further World Cup expansion:

Global Inclusivity: A 64-team tournament would allow nearly a third of FIFA’s 211 member associations to participate, giving more countries from underrepresented confederations like Africa, Asia, and CONCACAF a seat at the table.
Revenue Growth: More teams mean more matches, more broadcast windows, and more ticket sales. Industry data indicates FIFA generated over $7.5 billion in revenue during the 2019–2022 World Cup cycle, and further expansion could push that figure significantly higher.
Political Strategy: Expanding the tournament helps Infantino maintain support among smaller football federations, which benefit disproportionately from World Cup participation fees and development funding.
2030 Centenary Opportunity: The 2030 World Cup is planned as a multi-continent event celebrating the tournament’s 100th anniversary, with matches in Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. A 64-team format could amplify the celebratory nature of the centenary.

What Are the Major Concerns About Expanding to 64 Teams?

Critics of the 64-team World Cup proposal have raised several significant concerns that FIFA will need to address during its examination:

Player Welfare and Fixture Congestion

Professional footballers already face grueling schedules with domestic leagues, European competitions, and international windows. A 64-team World Cup with 128 or more matches would extend the tournament’s duration and increase the physical demands on top players. According to FIFPro, the global players’ union, player workload has reached unsustainable levels, and further tournament expansion could worsen the problem.

Match Quality and Competitive Balance

A 64-team field would inevitably include more lower-ranked nations, potentially leading to lopsided group-stage results. Data from previous expansions shows that when the tournament grew from 24 to 32 teams in 1998, the number of games decided by three or more goals increased by approximately 20 percent. A similar trend could emerge with another significant jump in team count.

Logistical and Hosting Challenges

A 64-team tournament requires more stadiums, more training facilities, more hotels, and more transportation infrastructure. Hosting a World Cup of this scale in a single country would be nearly impossible, which explains why the 2030 event is already spread across three continents. However, multi-continent hosting raises its own set of concerns about carbon emissions, fan travel costs, and competitive fairness.

Scheduling and Calendar Impact

FIFA already restructured the international match calendar in 2024 to accommodate the expanded 48-team format. A further expansion to 64 teams would require additional calendar adjustments, potentially conflicting with domestic leagues and continental club competitions like the UEFA Champions League and Copa Libertadores.

How Would a 64-Team World Cup Work?

No official format has been announced for a 64-team World Cup, but analysts and football journalists have proposed several possible structures:

16 Groups of 4: The simplest model mirrors the current 32-team format but doubled. Sixteen groups of four teams would produce 96 group-stage matches, with the top two from each group advancing to a 32-team knockout round.
8 Groups of 8: Eight large groups with eight teams each would create a longer group stage but potentially reduce the total number of knockout rounds needed.
Hybrid Format: A preliminary qualifying round among the lowest-seeded teams could reduce the initial group-stage field while still allowing 64 nations to technically qualify.

According to The Athletic’s analysis, the 16-group model is considered the most likely structure, as it would mirror the format fans and broadcasters already understand from the 32-team era.

What Are Football Stakeholders Saying?

Federations in Favor

Smaller football federations, particularly from Africa and Asia, have historically supported World Cup expansion. According to reports, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have welcomed the discussion, as expansion would grant their member nations more opportunities to qualify.

European and South American Opposition

UEFA and CONMEBOL have expressed reservations about further expansion. European football’s governing body represents the majority of the world’s top-ranked teams and top leagues, and officials worry that a bloated tournament could dilute the prestige of the World Cup brand. According to reports, several high-ranking UEFA officials have privately opposed anything beyond the 48-team format.

Player and Fan Reactions

Professional players and fan organizations have largely raised concerns. The global fans’ coalition Football Supporters Europe released a statement indicating that quality should not be sacrificed for quantity. Multiple high-profile players have also voiced concerns about fixture congestion in recent seasons.

What Is the Timeline for a Decision?

FIFA’s examination of the 64-team World Cup is in its earliest stages. According to Infantino’s statements, the organization will study the feasibility of the format, consult with confederations and stakeholders, and evaluate the logistical, commercial, and sporting implications.

A formal decision is not expected before 2027 at the earliest, giving FIFA time to assess how the expanded 48-team format performs at the 2026 World Cup. For more information, see our guide on the 2026 FIFA World Cup format and schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the 2030 World Cup have 64 teams?

No decision has been made yet. FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that the organization will examine the possibility of a 64-team format, but the 2030 tournament has not been officially approved for expansion beyond 48 teams. The examination process is expected to take at least one to two years before any binding decision is reached.

How many matches would a 64-team World Cup have?

According to analysts, a 64-team World Cup using a 16-group format would feature approximately 128 to 140 matches, depending on the knockout structure. This would be more than double the 64 matches played in the last 32-team tournament and roughly 30 percent more than the 104 matches planned for the 2026 World Cup.

Why does Infantino want to expand the World Cup?

Gianni Infantino has stated that FIFA’s mission is to make football a truly global game. Expansion gives more nations, especially from underrepresented regions like Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, the chance to participate. Critics argue that Infantino also uses expansion to secure political support from smaller federations that benefit from World Cup participation revenue.

Which countries would benefit from a 64-team World Cup?

A 64-team tournament would most benefit nations from Africa, Asia, and CONCACAF that narrowly miss out on qualification under the current 32-team or upcoming 48-team formats. Countries like India, China, Indonesia, and several African nations with large populations but limited World Cup histories would have a realistic chance of qualifying.

Has any World Cup proposal faced this much opposition?

Yes. The expansion from 32 to 48 teams, announced in 2017, was also heavily debated before being approved. However, the jump from 48 to 64 teams represents an even larger structural change and has drawn more widespread concern from players, leagues, and major confederations simultaneously.

What is the current World Cup format?

The current World Cup format features 32 teams divided into eight groups of four. The top two teams from each group advance to a 16-team single-elimination knockout round, culminating in a final match. This format has been used since 1998 but will change to 48 teams starting with the 2026 tournament.

Conclusion

Gianni Infantino’s confirmation that FIFA will examine a 64-team World Cup represents the latest chapter in the organization’s push toward broader tournament expansion. While the proposal aligns with FIFA’s stated goal of global inclusivity, it faces substantial opposition from major confederations, player unions, and fan groups concerned about match quality, player welfare, and logistical feasibility.

The world will be watching closely as FIFA studies the proposal over the coming years. The performance of the 48-team format at the 2026 World Cup in North America will likely serve as a key data point in determining whether further expansion makes sense. For now, the 64-team World Cup remains a wild idea under examination — not yet a reality.

The Bottom Line

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has officially put the 64-team World Cup on the table for discussion, marking the most ambitious tournament expansion proposal in football history. The idea would transform the World Cup from the 48-team format debuting in 2026 into a 64-nation spectacle, adding 16 more countries and potentially 30+ additional matches. While Infantino frames the move as a victory for global football inclusivity, significant concerns from UEFA, CONMEBOL, FIFPro, and fan organizations ensure this proposal will face intense scrutiny. No decision will come before 2027 at the earliest, and the success or failure of the 2026 World Cup expansion will heavily influence whether football’s governing body takes this historic leap.