According to the New York Times, FIFA is considering expanding the teams to 64 for the 2030 World Cup.

The New York Times suggested that FIFA might be considering increasing the number of teams participating in the 2030 World Cup to 64, double that of 2022 and other editions, and 16 more than those that will play in 2026. This measure would be implemented only once for that edition, which will mark the centenary of the World Cup.

According to the American media, at yesterday's FIFA Council meeting, Ignacio Alonso, president of the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF), proposed this idea which was well received by the president of the international entity, Gianni Infantino, who had already considered the possibility of expanding the World Cup both in the number of participants and in its global reach.

A FIFA spokesperson, in response to an email seeking more details about the origin of the idea, stated that it was “spontaneously raised” at Wednesday's meeting. “The idea was acknowledged, as FIFA has the duty to analyze any proposal from one of the council members,” wrote the spokesperson.

Already, the 2026 edition is going to be historic, as for the first time in 28 years, the number of teams will increase again, from 32 to 48, and it will be organized by three different countries, Mexico, the United States, and Canada. However, if the expansion to 64 teams is confirmed, the 2030 World Cup would break all kinds of records, as it will not only be the first with 6 hosts (Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, which will host the opening matches, and Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, which will have the rest of the tournament), but it will also be by far the largest sporting tournament ever held both in terms of representation and the number of matches played.

Beyond this, FIFA currently prioritizes expanding the number of teams in the Women's World Cup to 48 teams by 2031, matching the 2026 Men's World Cup.