​When FIFA decided to expand the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada to 48 teams, a wave of skepticism arose, accusing the federation of diluting the product for a straightforward cash grab. Yet the 48-team format has proven to be a notable success, with smaller nations demonstrating their ability to compete alongside the sport’s giants. It would have been easy for FIFA to simply celebrate the win and lock in 48 teams as the standard going forward.
But this is FIFA we’re talking about, and the organization’s behavior rarely aligns with restraint when more money is on the table. The current 48-team World Cup isn’t even finished, and already FIFA president Gianni Infantino is hinting at an expansion to 64 teams for the 2030 World Cup, staged in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with opening matches in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Infantino spoke to the Swiss outlet Bluewin, saying that the idea of a 64-team World Cup “will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup. When organizing a World Cup, it’s important to organize it for the whole world—not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world.”
His remarks emphasize a vision in which every nation should be given a shot at enjoying the World Cup experience. Infantino argued that the overall quality of teams is rising across the globe, and that offering broader participation helps maintain that trajectory. “If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they’ll lack the incentive to keep improving,” he contended.
But there’s little mystery about the underlying motive. While Infantino frames expanded access as a democratizing move, the practical driver is financial: more nations means more matches to sell to rights holders and, consequently, more broadcasting revenue. The United States’ broadcast rights are up for bidding after this tournament, with Fox and Telemundo in the mix, and FIFA is eyeing a multi-billion-dollar deal after awarding the 2026 rights to Fox at a price well below market value.
It’s still early, but a shift to 64 teams would likely entail adding four more groups and, crucially, would probably do away with third-place teams advancing to the Round of 32, altering the knockout stage structure. Given FIFA’s history and incentives, it’s hard to imagine the organization passing up such a potential expansion.
This article originally appeared on For The Win and notes that FIFA is already exploring a 64-team World Cup for strategic reasons beyond mere competitive balance, highlighting the broader push for improved search engine optimization and public attention. While the narrative emphasizes inclusivity and global opportunity, the practical calculus points toward greater rights revenue, broader market engagement, and a larger platform for FIFA’s commercial ambitions.