Could the Men’s World Cup Grow to 64 Teams? A Super Simple Guide

The Big News from FIFA

Imagine the biggest soccer (football) tournament on Earth — the World Cup. Right now, it’s about to have 48 teams in 2026. But the head of FIFA (the worldwide soccer organization), Gianni Infantino, says after the 2026 tournament, they will talk about making it even bigger: 64 teams!

• FIFA is like the big rule-maker for soccer around the globe.
• Infantino told a Swiss TV channel called Blue Sport that this idea will be looked at by special committees after the 2026 World Cup.
• His main reason: every country should have the chance to dream of playing in the World Cup.

How the World Cup Has Grown Over Time

Let’s look at how many teams have played recently:

• 1998 to 2022: The World Cup had 32 teams.
• 2026 (this year): It jumps to 48 teams for the first time. The hosts are the United States, Canada, and Mexico. There will be 104 matches played.
• Possible future (after 2026): Might become 64 teams — that would mean 128 matches (double the old 32‑team amount!).

Why Some People Want 64 Teams

Infantino says the World Cup should be for the whole world, not just the strong regions like Europe and South America. He explained simply:

• The quality of teams everywhere is getting better and better.
• If small countries never get a chance to join, they might lose the push to keep improving.

He said: “When you organize a World Cup, it’s important that you organize it for the whole world… Every nation should be able to dream of taking part.”

How the 64‑Team Idea Came to Be (Step by Step)

Here’s the timeline in easy steps:

1. March 2025: A group called CONMEBOL (the soccer bosses for South America) proposed expanding the 2030 World Cup because that year is the competition’s 100‑year anniversary (a big birthday!).
2. September 2025: Infantino met in New York with:
   • CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez
   • The presidents of the Argentine and Uruguayan football associations
   • The presidents of Paraguay and Uruguay
     They talked about the proposal.
3. After the 2026 World Cup: FIFA’s relevant committees will look at and discuss the idea officially.

At that September meeting, Domínguez said: “We believe in a historic 2030 World Cup. We want to call for unity, creativity and believing big. Because when football is shared by everyone, the celebration is truly global.”

Not Everyone Agrees

Some soccer leaders think bigger isn’t better.

• Victor Montagliani, president of Concacaf (the group for North/Central America and Caribbean), told ESPN in April 2025 that he doesn’t believe 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself or for the broader football world (national teams, clubs, leagues, and players).
• Aleksander Čeferin, president of UEFA (the European soccer group), previously called the plan “a bad idea.”

What Would a 64‑Team Tournament Look Like?

If the expansion is approved, here is the match math:

1. Old 32‑team format (1998–2022) had 64 matches.
2. The 2026 48‑team format has 104 matches.
3. A new 64‑team format would have 128 matches — that’s double the old number!

That is a lot of soccer!

Callout: Important Points

Remember: FIFA will only discuss expansion after the 2026 World Cup — no final decision is made yet! Also, a 64‑team cup would have 128 matches, which is twice as many as the 32‑team era and 24 more than the 2026 event.

Summary

To wrap it up simply:

• FIFA’s boss Infantino says after the 2026 World Cup (with 48 teams), they will discuss growing to 64 teams.
• The idea started with South American bosses for the 2030 anniversary.
• Supporters say it gives small nations hope; critics from North America and Europe worry about the tournament and players.
• A 64‑team event would have 128 matches.
• Nothing is final — it’s just a conversation for later.

FAQ (Simple Questions & Answers)

1. What is FIFA?
FIFA is the international organization that runs soccer (football) worldwide. Think of it as the head teacher for the sport.

2. Why does Infantino want more teams?
He believes every country, even small ones, should dream of playing in the World Cup. He says it helps them keep improving their soccer.

3. When will we know if the World Cup becomes 64 teams?
The discussion will happen after the 2026 World Cup. So we’ll likely hear more around 2027 or later.

4. Who opposes the expansion?
Leaders from Concacaf (North/Central America and Caribbean) and UEFA (Europe) have said it’s not a good idea for the game.

5. How many games would a 64‑team World Cup have?
It would have 128 matches, which is twice as many as the 32‑team tournaments held from 1998 to 2022.