FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced on July 12 that the governing body will seriously examine expanding the World Cup from 48 to 64 teams, potentially in time for the 2030 tournament. The current 48-team format, debuting at the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico, is barely broken in and FIFA is already eyeing a bigger party.

What Infantino actually said

Infantino confirmed that FIFA’s relevant committees will review the feasibility of a 64-team World Cup ahead of the 2030 edition. That tournament is set to be co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, with centenary celebration matches in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

The rationale is inclusivity. More slots mean more nations from Africa, Asia,…