The 2030 FIFA World Cup could become the biggest tournament in football history after FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that the world governing body is prepared to discuss expanding the competition from 48 to 64 teams.
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The proposal comes even before the first 48-team World Cup has been staged, underlining FIFA’s determination to broaden global participation and give more nations the opportunity to compete on football’s biggest stage.
Speaking about the future of the tournament, Infantino said the positive reception to the expanded 48-team format has encouraged FIFA to explore the possibility of taking the competition even further ahead of the centenary World Cup in 2030, which will be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with opening celebratory matches also scheduled to take place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to mark 100 years since the inaugural World Cup.
«”The success of the 48-team World Cup has shown that we can continue to think about the future of the competition. Expanding to 64 teams is one of the ideas that will be discussed ahead of the 2030 World Cup,” Infantino said.»
The World Cup was expanded from 32 to 48 teams beginning with the 2026 tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. That edition will feature 104 matches, making it the largest World Cup ever staged.
A further increase to 64 teams would dramatically reshape the competition, allowing more countries—particularly from Africa, Asia, Oceania and CONCACAF—to qualify for the global showpiece.
For African football, such a move could significantly increase the continent’s representation and improve the chances of countries like Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Ivory Coast and several emerging football nations competing regularly at the World Cup.
However, the proposal is also expected to generate debate, with critics warning that a larger tournament could create fixture congestion, place greater demands on players and reduce the quality of the competition.
Supporters, on the other hand, argue that expanding the tournament would accelerate football’s global growth by giving more developing nations invaluable World Cup experience.
While FIFA has not taken a final decision, Infantino’s comments indicate that the governing body is already looking beyond the 2026 tournament as it continues to reshape international football.
If approved, the 2030 edition would not only celebrate the World Cup’s centenary but also become the largest and most inclusive tournament in the history of the game.
