What happens when qualifying for the World Cup stops feeling like survival and starts becoming routine?
FIFA may soon find out. The 48-team experiment is not even finished, yet President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that another expansion will be discussed after the 2026 tournament. This time, the proposed leap is to 64 nations for the centenary World Cup in 2030.
That would place roughly 3 of every 10 FIFA members at the finals. The cleanest format would feature 16 groups of 4, followed by a 32 team knockout stage. It would produce 128 matches, adding another 24 games to the already sprawling 2026 schedule.
There is a powerful case for giving more countries a seat at football’s biggest table. The last month has provided it. But there is also a limit. The World Cup cannot keep growing without changing what it means to reach it.
Why The Strange 2030 World Cup Has Revived Expansion
The proposed jump is tied to the unusual shape of the 2030 tournament.
Morocco, Portugal and Spain will host most of the competition. Before the main schedule begins, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each stage a centenary match to mark 100 years since the first World Cup in Montevideo.
It is a celebration with a serious logistical problem. Teams involved in the South American games will then have to cross the Atlantic before continuing the tournament in Europe or North Africa.
A 64 team format could give each South American country a complete 4 team group instead of a single ceremonial fixture. Their involvement would carry more sporting weight, but the tournament would become even harder to manage.
The event is already spread across 6 countries and 3 continents. Adding 16 teams would not simply make the World Cup bigger. It would force FIFA to build an entirely different competition around a hosting plan that was complicated from the start.
The 48 Team Gamble Produced Real Football Stories
Any honest argument against further expansion must acknowledge what happened in 2026.
Cabo Verde arrived at their first World Cup representing a nation of about 500,000 people. They drew with former champions Spain and Uruguay, stayed unbeaten through the group stage and pushed Argentina into extra time before losing 3 to 2. Kevin Pina scored the country’s first World Cup goal against Uruguay. The players returned home as national heroes.
Africa’s wider breakthrough was even more striking. Morocco reached the quarterfinals after eliminating the Netherlands. Egypt won a World Cup match for the first time, then led Argentina 2 to 0 with only 11 minutes remaining in their round of 16 tie. DR Congo were ahead against England before 2 late Harry Kane goals ended their run.
Nine African teams escaped the group stage. Before 2026, no more than 2 had advanced at the same World Cup. That was not token representation. It was evidence that the depth of international football has grown.
The wider field also delivered goals. A total of 47 teams scored during the group stage, with only Panama failing to find the net. Yet the final 4 still featured Argentina, England, France and Spain. New nations created memorable stories without pushing the traditional powers out of the decisive matches.
Infantino has built his case around that wider opportunity. “Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup,” the FIFA president said. For countries that have spent generations watching from home, that message carries real weight. Reaching the finals can fill stadiums, attract investment and inspire children who have never seen their country compete on the biggest stage. Smaller footballing nations deserve a visible route into the tournament.
The dream, however, still needs to be difficult.
Qualification Is Where Expansion Could Do Real Damage
The World Cup begins years before the opening ceremony.
It begins on humid nights in Yaoundé, where one defensive mistake can erase an entire campaign. It lives at altitude in La Paz, where visiting players struggle for breath and points. Across Europe, major nations can spend months navigating tense groups before entering a playoff with everything at stake.
Those matches matter because failure is possible.
Italy have now missed 3 consecutive World Cups. The 4-time champions failed to reach Russia in 2018, Qatar in 2022 and the 2026 tournament after another playoff defeat. Their absence hurt the competition, but it also proved that reputation alone does not buy a ticket.
A 64-team field would lower the qualifying bar across every confederation. Some regions could send close to half their members. Several leading nations would enter campaigns knowing that even a poor run might not keep them out.
That is the tightrope FIFA is walking. The debate is not only about whether the 2030 finals can produce entertaining matches. It is about whether the demanding journey to get there will still carry the same fear, tension and consequence.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has already argued that 64 teams would hurt both the World Cup and its qualifiers. The concern extends beyond Europe. With every additional place, qualification moves closer to becoming an expectation for established nations rather than a genuine achievement.
FIFA Should Let The 48 Team Format Breathe
The 2026 World Cup strengthened the argument for 48 teams. Cabo Verde, Egypt, Morocco and several other nations showed that opportunity does not automatically reduce quality.
That does not mean FIFA should immediately add another 16.
One successful expansion cannot become permission for endless growth. The current format has already stretched the competition to 104 matches and added another knockout round. FIFA needs time to judge what worked, what dragged and whether the quality held across the full tournament.
The World Cup does not earn its prestige from the number of flags at the opening ceremony. Its power comes from how hard those flags are to place there.
FIFA has expanded the dream without destroying the prize. It should stop before reaching the World Cup becomes ordinary.
READ MORE: World Cup Expansion to 48 Teams How It Changes 2026 Tournament
FAQs
Q1. Is FIFA expanding the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams?
Not yet. FIFA plans to discuss the proposal after the 2026 tournament ends.
Q2. How many matches would a 64 team World Cup have?
The likely format would feature 16 groups of 4 and produce 128 matches.
Q3. Why is FIFA considering a 64 team World Cup?
Expansion would widen access and could give Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay full groups instead of 1 centenary match each.
Q4. How many teams played at the 2026 World Cup?
The 2026 tournament expanded from 32 to 48 teams and featured 104 matches.
Q5. Why could 64 teams weaken World Cup qualifying?
More places would lower the entry bar and make qualification less difficult for established football nations.
