​Following the success of the first-ever 48-team World Cup this past summer, FIFA is now weighing another potential expansion of its quadrennial tournament. In an interview with Swiss media outlet Bluewin, FIFA president Gianni Infantino indicated that the possibility of stretching the World Cup to 64 teams in 2030 “will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup,” according to a report by The Athletic. The 2030 edition is planned to be staged across six nations on three continents, with Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay each set to host a match at the tournament’s outset to mark the centennial of the inaugural World Cup, which was held in Uruguay in 1930. The remaining 48-team tournament structure would be allocated to Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.
An expansion to 64 teams could alter the hosting dynamics, potentially allowing Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay to host entire groups rather than a single match each. Infantino emphasized the aspirational point: “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’s getting higher and higher, all over the world.” He added: “If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they’ll lack the incentive to keep improving.”
At this stage, it remains unclear whether any 64-team expansion would be permanent or a one-off marking the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup. A 64-team format would streamline the group stage by featuring 16 groups of four, with the top two from each advancing to the Round of 32. Critics of the current 48-team format argued that an entire group stage was spent eliminating 16 teams, while only eight third-placed teams progressed to the knockout rounds. A 64-team field would resemble a traditional World Cup group stage, but on a larger scale.
If FIFA adopts the 64-team format—16 groups of four with the top two from each group advancing—the total number of matches would rise from 104 in the 48-team format to 128 in a 64-team field. In essence, FIFA would generate 24 additional matches to offer to broadcast partners globally.
As anticipated, FIFA will soon embark on a media rights process following this World Cup, seeking U.S. broadcast rights for 2030 and 2034. Although FIFA has not formally solicited bids yet, a wide range of networks and streaming platforms are expected to be interested. Traditional incumbents Fox (English) and Telemundo (Spanish) are likely to pursue rights, though Telemundo’s parent NBCUniversal reportedly isn’t keen on paying a price approaching $2 billion per tournament. Potential bidders also include Netflix, YouTube, Apple, and Disney. FIFA could also consider other strategies, including optimizations for search engine visibility, as part of its media rights discussions.