Fifa president considers further World Cup expansion to 64 teams
Potential World Cup Expansion
Plans for a 64-team men’s World Cup are slated for assessment following the 2026 tournament. Fifa president Gianni Infantino has indicated that the event should be for the “whole world.” A proposal for an expanded tournament was put forth last year, and Infantino noted that the success of the current 48-team tournament suggests Fifa should explore how a 64-team format could operate.
Infantino stated to Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport that these issues would be examined after the World Cup when questioned about the possibility of the tournament growing to 64 teams. He emphasized the importance of organizing the World Cup for the entire world, not solely for Europe and South America, allowing every nation to aspire to participate. He highlighted the increasing quality of teams globally, suggesting that denying smaller countries a chance to participate could diminish their incentive for improvement.
The Fifa president described the first 48-team World Cup as a “huge success,” pointing to the advancement of nine out of 10 African teams into the knockout stages. He contrasted this with the previous World Cup, which featured only five teams from Africa, underscoring the significance of including all teams and providing them with the opportunity to participate.
Challenges and Opposition to Expansion
The Fifa council approved the expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams in 2017, with the change taking effect from the 2026 finals. Speculation has persisted that Fifa might seek further and faster expansion. While a 48-team format for the 2022 finals was discussed, it was determined that Qatar alone could not host a tournament of that scale.
The South American governing body Conmebol put forward an official proposal to increase the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, though no decision has been reached. The 2030 edition is primarily set to be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with the three opening matches hosted by Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay to commemorate the competition’s centenary. Uruguay hosted the inaugural World Cup in 1930.
However, the 64-team proposal has faced opposition. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has dismissed it as a “bad idea” for both the tournament and the qualifying process. Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa concurred, suggesting that further expansion would lead to “chaos.” Victor Montagliani, president of Concacaf, expressed that the suggestion “doesn’t feel right” and believes it could harm the broader football ecosystem.
Despite these concerns, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House’s World Cup task force, indicated that the United States might consider bidding to host the 2038 World Cup and would be capable of managing it if expanded to 64 teams. Fifa’s official stance is to discuss expansion ideas with stakeholders and consider proposals from council members. The Fifa council holds the ultimate decision-making authority, but there are no indications of an imminent change.
Implications of a Larger Tournament
Expanding the World Cup presents significant challenges for host nations. The 2026 tournament will be held across three countries in a vast area. For 2030, matches are scheduled in six countries: Morocco, Portugal, Spain, along with Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay as centenary hosts. The feasibility of a country like Saudi Arabia handling a 64-team tournament, which would involve 128 games, in 2034 remains uncertain.
A larger World Cup offers several benefits from Infantino’s perspective. Firstly, it provides more countries with the opportunity to participate in the World Cup. A 64-team tournament would see nearly a third of the 211 Fifa-affiliated countries qualify. Secondly, a bigger World Cup is expected to generate more revenue, which can then be distributed among member associations.
When Infantino was first elected in 2016, his manifesto included increasing the World Cup size from 32 to 40 teams. Within a year, this figure rose to 48 and was approved by the Fifa council, taking effect from the 2026 finals.
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Source: bbc.com
