Sports

FIFA Considers Expanding 2030 World Cup to 64 Teams

Published MAR 7 2025

#Sports

FIFA Considers Expanding 2030 World Cup to 64 Teams

Story

Above: South America's CONMEBOL Pres. Alejandro Dominguez and FIFA Pres. Gianni Infantino flanked by Paraguayan Pres. Santiago Peña and Luis Lacalle Pou, then-president of Uruguay, in Luque, Paraguay, on April 11, 2024. Image credit: Norberto Duarte/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images

The Facts

FIFA, the world's soccer governing body, confirmed in a statement on Thursday that a one-off expansion to 64 teams to mark the centenary of the World Cup in 2030 is under consideration after one of its Council members raised the proposal in a meeting this week.
FOX News
Reuters
Ignacio Alonso of Uruguay read out a prepared speech in English regarding his plan to allow more countries to compete in the centenary edition near the end of the virtual meeting on Wednesday. Reports suggest that his proposal was met with stunned silence, though it drew the interest of FIFA Pres. Gianni Infantino.
Daily Mail
The New York Times
The 2030 World Cup will be held in six nations across three continents, with opening games in Uruguay — the host country of the inaugural tournament — Argentina and Paraguay before the action moves east to main co-hosts Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.
FOX News
Sky News
The proposed expansion would allow more than a quarter of FIFA's 211 member associations to qualify for the World Cup and feature 128 games despite logistical challenges and players' criticism over the number of games they play in a season. There's no timetable for a possible decision.
Independent
The Associated Press
This comes as the World Cup has already been expanded to 48 teams for the upcoming 2026 edition across North America, which is set to see 12 groups of four teams and the knockouts starting in the round of 32, from the 32-team format that was played between 1998 and 2022.
Daily Mail
Reuters
Leading FIFA since 2016, Infantino has explored ways to give more nations the chance to compete in soccer's flagship tournament, including playing the World Cup every two years rather than four — an idea that has been shelved after being met with furious reaction.
FOX News
The New York Times

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

This proposal shows that some soccer leaders are completely out of touch with fans and players. It's pure madness to even consider further expanding the World Cup. Let alone worsening logistical challenges and the environmental impact of such a change, this move would affect the prestige and quality of the tournament.

The Times (UK)

Narrative B

A one-off expansion to mark the centenary of the event may have more benefits than drawbacks. There are indeed logistical challenges and environmental concerns related to this proposal, but allowing more countries to compete in the World Cup would help further promote and develop the game beyond Europe and the Americas.