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FIFA Eyes 64-Team World Cup in 2030
13 Jul
Summary
- FIFA president hints at expanding World Cup to 64 teams.
- The 2030 World Cup will span three continents and six countries.
- Critics warn expansion could devalue qualifiers and game quality.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is considering a further expansion of the World Cup to 64 teams, following the current 48-team format. The upcoming 2030 World Cup, commemorating the tournament's 100th anniversary, will be uniquely co-hosted by Portugal, Spain, and Morocco, with initial matches also taking place in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
This historic centennial event is set to span three continents, featuring games across six nations. Infantino sees this as an opportune moment to discuss increased tournament size. The current 48-team World Cup, the first of its kind, has been marked by compelling competition and strong fan engagement, bolstering the case for expansion.
However, the idea of further expansion is not universally welcomed. Critics, drawing parallels to other sports, argue that increasing the number of teams could devalue the extensive qualifying process and negatively impact the overall quality of play during the main tournament. Concerns have been voiced by UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin regarding the impact on qualifiers.
