FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that the world football governing body will review proposals to expand the FIFA World Cup to 64 teams after the 2026 tournament, insisting that every nation should have the opportunity to dream of competing on football’s biggest stage.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will already mark a significant expansion from 32 to 48 participating nations. However, FIFA is now preparing to examine the possibility of increasing the competition to 64 teams in future editions.
Speaking to Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport, Infantino said the proposal would be considered by FIFA’s relevant committees once the 2026 tournament concludes.
According to him, the World Cup is a global event that should reflect the diversity of football across every continent rather than focusing only on traditional powerhouses in Europe and South America.
“When you organize a World Cup, it’s important that you organize it for the whole world. It’s not just Europe and South America, but the entire world. Every nation should be able to dream of taking part in the World Cup,” Infantino said.
The FIFA boss also noted that the quality of football has improved significantly across all confederations, arguing that expanding the tournament would encourage emerging football nations to invest further in the sport.
Calls for a 64-team World Cup gained traction in March 2025 after South America’s football governing body, CONMEBOL, proposed the idea for the centenary edition of the tournament in 2030.
Infantino later held talks with CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez, alongside football federation leaders from Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, to discuss the proposal.
While supporters believe a larger tournament would promote greater inclusivity and provide more countries with a chance to compete, critics argue that it could weaken the quality of competition and place additional strain on an already congested international football calendar.
Concacaf President Victor Montagliani has previously opposed the proposal, saying a 64-team World Cup would not benefit either the tournament or global football. UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has also rejected the idea, describing it as “a bad idea.”
If approved, the expanded tournament would feature 128 matches—twice the number played under the former 32-team format and substantially more than the 104 matches scheduled for the 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup.