​Gianni Infantino has signaled that expanding the World Cup beyond 48 teams could be on the agenda, following the successful introduction of the 48-team format this summer. His push to widen the tournament to 48 teams—now in its second edition—initially drew scrutiny, but as the tournament has progressed, that criticism has subsided and the event has generated surprisingly little controversy. The FIFA president argues that the 48-team World Cup has demonstrated the organization’s ability to stage a global event that truly represents the entire world, and he suggests there is now reason to consider a further expansion ahead of the 2030 edition, which will be staged across Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
“In organizing a World Cup, it’s important to design it for the whole world—not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire globe. Every nation should be allowed to dream of taking part in the World Cup,” Infantino told Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport when asked whether the tournament could grow to 64 teams. He added, “You can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high, and it’s rising everywhere. If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate, they won’t have the incentive to keep improving.”
The 48-team model, approved by the FIFA Council in 2017, has already allowed smaller nations to make headlines. Curacao became the smallest country ever to qualify for a World Cup, while Jordan and Uzbekistan marked their debuts on the world stage. Cape Verde’s memorable run to the knockout rounds—where they pushed the holders Argentina to extra time after finishing top of their African qualifying group ahead of Cameroon—was another highlight. Yet it’s important to note that Cape Verde’s progress was a result of their performance and qualification success, not solely a byproduct of expansion.
Infantino defended the 48-team format as a success, noting that every team played at a high level and that teams from every continent earned points. He highlighted that nine out of ten African teams reached the knockout stage, pointing out that at the previous World Cup there were only five African teams advancing. “That just shows how vital it is to include all teams and give them this opportunity to participate,” he said.
The suggestion to expand to 64 teams gained momentum when South American federation CONMEBOL publicly proposed increasing the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams in April 2025, though no formal decision has been reached. Yet the idea faces broad skepticism. Many observers, including UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, have cautioned that further expansion could be detrimental to both the tournament and the qualifying process.
Support for expansion is not uniform across all regions. Leaders in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Concacaf, the governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean, have expressed reservations, arguing that a larger World Cup could compromise quality, complicate scheduling, and undermine the integrity of regional qualifiers. Despite the mixed opinions, Infantino’s comments reflect a readiness within FIFA to explore longer-term options for the World Cup format, especially given the perceived success of the 48-team edition.
Looking ahead to 2030, with Spain, Portugal and Morocco serving as hosts, the conversation about expansion will continue to unfold. Proponents argue that widening participation would deepen global engagement, provide more nations with coveted World Cup experience, and foster growth in football infrastructures worldwide. Opponents counter that expanding the field could dilute competition quality, increase logistical challenges, and complicate the already demanding calendar for clubs and players.
In the end, any decision on expanding to 64 teams will hinge on a balance of competitive integrity, global development goals, and practical considerations surrounding hosting, scheduling, and qualification pathways. For now, Infantino’s remarks leave the door open to future possibilities, while the immediate focus remains on the ongoing success and lessons learned from the current 48-team World Cup format.