Gianni Infantino Confirms Proposal for Expanding World Cup to 64 Teams in 2030
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that world football’s governing body will examine a proposal to expand the FIFA World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 edition. This move comes after the successful introduction of 48 teams in this year's tournament, marking the first time since 1998 with more than 32 nations competing.
According to Swiss media outlet Bluewin, Infantino said that the proposal would be formally discussed by FIFA’s decision-making bodies. Speaking on the potential impact, Infantino stressed that the World Cup should remain a truly global competition and ‘for the whole world, not just Europe and South America’. He believes giving more countries the chance to compete will strengthen football worldwide.
Infantino: “Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup.”While the idea is supported by some, including CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez who called it his 'dream' to unite the world, others remain skeptical. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has previously labelled the proposal as a ‘bad idea’ and warned it could reduce both the World Cup's quality and European qualifying standards.