Gianni Infantino hints at 64-team FIFA World Cup format for 2030 edition

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has revealed that a 64-team format for the 2030 FIFA World Cup will be evaluated, following the conclusion of the quarter-final stage of the 2026 tournament.

Speaking to Swiss media outlet Bluewin, Infantino defended FIFA’s continued expansion of the competition, describing the current 48-team format being used in the United States, Canada and Mexico as a “100 per cent success”.

His comments came after the semi-final line-up for the 2026 World Cup was confirmed, with traditional football powerhouses England, Spain, France and Argentina securing their places in the final four.

Despite the expanded tournament format aimed at providing greater representation to nations from across the globe, the semi-finalists are all established European and South American sides.

However, Infantino insisted that FIFA’s vision remains focused on increasing opportunities for teams from all regions.

“A 64-team tournament is definitely an issue that will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup,” Infantino said.

The FIFA chief reiterated his belief that the World Cup should represent the global nature of football rather than remain a competition dominated by a select group of elite nations.

“The World Cup is for the whole world, not just Europe and South America,” he said.

“Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup. You can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high – and it is getting higher and higher all over the world,” he added.

The decision to expand the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 edition was met with criticism, with concerns raised over a possible drop in quality, increased logistical challenges and a heavier workload for players.

However, Infantino believes the new format has justified FIFA’s approach by helping developing football nations compete at the highest level.

“If you do not give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they will lack the incentive to keep improving,” he added.

If approved, a 64-team World Cup would represent a major change for the 2030 edition, which will mark the tournament’s centenary. 

The event is set to be hosted mainly by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with opening matches also planned in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay as part of the celebrations.

The ongoing 2026 World Cup features 12 groups of four teams in the group stage, with the top two sides from each group and the eight best third-placed teams progressing to the Round of 32.

A 64-team format could simplify the competition structure by replacing the complicated third-place qualification system. Under a potential new model, teams could be divided into 16 groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing directly to a knockout Round of 32.