Fifa officials are contemplating the addition of 16 teams to the World Cup before the 2030 tournament, according to Gianni Infantino. In an interview with a Swiss media outlet, the Fifa president expressed that increasing the tournament from 48 to 64 teams could be beneficial.
“That’s definitely an issue that will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup,” Infantino stated. “When organising a World Cup, it’s important to organise it for the whole world – not just Europe and South America – but effectively the entire world. “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. If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they’ll lack the incentive to keep improving.”
He emphasized the importance of inclusivity, saying, “Every team played at a high level. Teams from every continent scored goals and earned at least one point. Nine out of 10 African teams reached the knockout stage. At the last World Cup, there were only five teams from Africa. That just goes to show how important it is to include all teams – to give them this opportunity to participate.”
Recent Changes and Success of the 48-Team Format
Historically, the World Cup featured 32 teams from 1998 until 2022. The upcoming 2026 edition will be the first to feature 48 teams. With the current schedule including two semi-finals, a third-place playoff, and the final, the tournament will consist of 104 matches.
Infantino expressed pride in the 48-team format, describing it as a “huge success.” He remarked, “Every team played at a high level. Teams from every continent scored goals and earned at least one point. Nine out of 10 African teams reached the knockout stage. At the last World Cup, there were only five teams from Africa. That just goes to show how important it is to include all teams – to give them this opportunity to participate.”
2030 Tournament Plans
The 2030 World Cup is set to be a collaborative effort across multiple continents. The initial three matches are planned to take place in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, with one match hosted by each country. The remaining matches will be held in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.
Should the expansion to 64 teams occur, it would allow each South American nation to host an entire four-team group instead of just a single match.
