FIFA and President Gianni Infantino are pushing to expand the World Cup further, from 48 to 64 teams, potentially starting with the 2030 tournament, according to a document seen by Reuters. The tournament already grew from 32 to 48 teams for 2026.
FIFA wants to commission an independent body to evaluate whether and how the expansion would affect the tournament’s overall product. The final recommendation must show not only whether a 64-team World Cup can create additional value, but whether that value would be sustainable.
FIFA said the independent body will be chosen by August 14, with the contractor given four weeks, until September 11, to deliver its analysis.
The plan faces growing opposition, led by UEFA, which has decided to boycott all FIFA competitions. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said last year that a 64-team World Cup was not a good idea. The head of the Asian Football Confederation, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, had expressed the opposite view.
