Could Infantino really push through a 64-team World Cup?

What the report says

BBC Sport examined whether Fifa president Gianni Infantino could secure approval for a 64-team men’s World Cup, after he signalled openness to further expansion beyond the 48-team format. The article, published July 20, 2026 and updated the next day, frames the issue as consistent with Infantino’s decade-long emphasis on larger competitions, more matches and increased revenue, while noting his argument that wider participation can encourage smaller football nations to develop.

The immediate push is linked to the 2030 World Cup, which will mark the tournament’s centenary. BBC Sport said the event is due to be staged mainly in Morocco, Portugal and Spain, with opening matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. South American confederation Conmebol, led by Alejandro Dominguez, requested in April 2025 a one-off 64-team edition and renewed that call after the 2026 tournament. However, the article noted resistance from Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin, Concacaf president Victor Montagliani and AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa. Any decision would rest with Fifa’s 37-member Council.

A 64-team format could create 16 groups of four, with the top two advancing, avoiding the need for third-placed qualifiers. BBC Sport said the counterargument is competitive dilution, especially if many additional places go to weaker confederations, even though emerging teams such as Cape Verde showed the upside of expansion.

The piece also highlighted practical concerns: 24 extra matches, about 20 additional schedule slots and roughly five more days, plus greater demands on host cities, stadiums, training bases, hotels and transport. The broader significance is whether Fifa prioritises access and revenue over preserving the World Cup’s competitive intensity.