From 1998 through 2022, the tournament had 32 teams and 64 matches. The North American edition had 104. Infantino told Swiss media he liked the change and would not rule out another expansion.
Infantino argued that the move to 48 teams worked well. He said the level of play stayed strong and the sport keeps growing worldwide. For smaller nations, he called the larger field both an incentive and an opportunity.
Spain, Portugal, and Morocco will host the 2030 World Cup, with Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay involved in the opening stage. Four years later, Saudi Arabia will host. Both tournaments are planned for 48 teams, but FIFA could add 16 more.
CONMEBOL pushed for this earlier, and its president, Alejandro Dominguez, repeated that call after this year’s event. He said the 2030 World Cup offers a chance to mark the tournament’s centenary with a 64‑team field.
A larger tournament would open more spots. Oceania could get two instead of one, Africa 13 instead of nine, and Asia 12 instead of eight. Infantino said smaller nations need that chance to grow.
Africa saw major gains from the 48‑team format. Eight of nine African teams reached the round of 32. Fears of uneven play proved limited. Germany’s 7–1 win over Curaçao stood out, but most matches stayed competitive.
There were also more “fairytale” runs. Cape Verde went unbeaten in the group stage and pushed Argentina to extra time. Its 40‑year‑old goalkeeper Vozinha held Spain to a scoreless draw. The Democratic Republic of the Congo advanced as well, with a lively 3–1 win over Uzbekistan.
A 64‑team World Cup would bring 128 matches. That is a heavy load, but qualifying would shrink because more nations would qualify directly. The format would shift to 16 groups of four, with two teams advancing. That would end the awkward math of the American tournament, where third place sometimes meant survival and sometimes did not. It also would reduce situations where teams settled for safe draws, like Australia–Paraguay.
FIFA also sees a clear financial upside. More matches mean more broadcasts, more advertising, and more markets.
Still, a 64‑team event has drawbacks. The group stage would be packed, with five or six matches per day. Kickoff times would be harder to balance across time zones.
If FIFA expanded to 64 teams by 2030, it would double the field in only eight years. AFC president Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa warned that such a jump “would lead to chaos.” Qualifying would lose drama and appeal. Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz said the feeling of true achievement must remain.
A larger event also demands more infrastructure. A 128‑match tournament needs roughly 20 to 22 stadiums. The recent World Cup used 16 across three countries. Hosting alone would be nearly impossible.
Spain, Portugal, and Morocco planned their 2030 event around 48 teams. A jump to 64 would force a fast rewrite of qualifying schedules, though Europe’s qualifiers have not started yet.
Media reports say there is no guarantee that 16 extra teams would bring major financial gains. Costs for new stadiums and logistics remain unclear. Some fear that constant expansion could weaken the prestige of a tournament that began in 1930 with 13 teams in Uruguay.
(pu)
Source: PAP