FIFA Considers Expanding World Cup to 64 Teams for 2030 Edition

FIFA is reportedly considering a groundbreaking proposal to expand the 2030 World Cup to a staggering 64 teams, doubling the size of the tournament compared to the 32-team format used in 2022. This potential expansion would mark a significant milestone in the history of the competition, coinciding with its 100th anniversary.

The 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will already see the tournament grow to 48 teams for the first time. However, experts believe that further expansion to 64 teams is inevitable in the long term, though the 48-team format is expected to remain the standard for at least the next decade.

At a recent FIFA Council meeting, the president of the Uruguayan Football Association proposed a one-time expansion for the 2030 World Cup to celebrate the tournament's centenary. The 2030 edition is already set to be a unique event, hosted across six countries and three continents. It will kick off with one match each in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, the nations that hosted the inaugural World Cup in 1930. The tournament will then move to Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, which are expected to host 101 of the 104 matches over 39 days under the current format.

A 64-team World Cup would likely feature 128 matches, with 16 groups of four teams followed by a 32-team knockout stage. While this format is considered more streamlined than the 48-team version, it could place significant strain on transportation networks and local infrastructure. Future hosts, such as Saudi Arabia, may struggle to accommodate such a large-scale event, making the 64-team format a potential one-off for 2030.