League: FIFA World Cup Sport: Soccer Country: Global Category: Playoffs

Infantino supports potential expansion to 64 teams for future World Cups

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 11, 2026, 5:03 PM

Last updated Jul 11, 2026

Infantino supports potential expansion to 64 teams for future World Cups

Summary

FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed enthusiasm for considering a 64-team format in future men's World Cups. Currently, the 2026 tournament is set to feature 48 teams, allowing eight third-placed teams to advance to a new last-32 round. Infantino highlighted the high quality of teams in this expanded format, calling it a huge success., he stated that expanding further would not increase the number of games played per team, aiming instead to bring more nations into the competition. The 2030 World Cup is scheduled to take place across several countries, including Spain and Argentina.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

Key Details

•Gianni Infantino proposes a 64-team World Cup after 2026.
•2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams, allowing eight third-place teams to progress.
•Infantino says quality of teams is improving globally.
•Future expansion aims to increase worldwide competition.
•The 2030 edition will be hosted by multiple countries including Spain and Argentina.

Latest Updates

5:03 PMYahoo Sports — Infantino enthused by idea of 64-team World Cup

What they're saying

"
FIFA president Gianni Infantino can imagine another expansion of the men's World Cup field to 64 nations and says the idea should "definitely" be considered after this tournament. The 2026 edition has expanded from 32 to 48 teams, but the maths means eight third-placed teams from the groups reached a new last-32 round.
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

FIFA World Cup Soccer