Zurich, Jul 12 (V7N) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino has indicated that world football's governing body will examine the possibility of expanding the 2030 FIFA World Cup from 48 to 64 teams, following the conclusion of the ongoing 2026 tournament.

In an interview with Swiss media outlet Bluewin, Infantino said the proposal would be reviewed by FIFA's relevant committees after the current World Cup.

"This is certainly an issue that will be examined and discussed by the relevant FIFA committees after this World Cup," Infantino said. "When organizing the World Cup, we have to think not only about Europe and South America, but about the entire world."

The FIFA chief argued that expanding the tournament would provide more nations with the opportunity to compete on football's biggest stage.

"Every country should have the chance to dream of playing in the World Cup," he said. "The standard of football is improving in every region of the world. If smaller nations are not given the opportunity to participate, their motivation to continue improving could decline."

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition to feature 48 teams, an increase from the 32-team format used between 1998 and 2022. The expanded tournament has been described by Infantino as a "huge success," noting that teams from every confederation have scored goals and earned points during the competition.

He also highlighted the strong performances of African nations, saying that nine of the ten African teams progressed to the knockout stage, which he believes demonstrates the positive impact of expanding the tournament.

The 2030 FIFA World Cup will be the first edition to be staged across multiple continents. The opening matches will be played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, with each nation hosting one game to commemorate the tournament's centenary. The remainder of the competition will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain.

If FIFA ultimately approves a 64-team format, the three South American host nations could each stage a full four-team group instead of hosting only a single match, significantly expanding their role in the tournament.

END/SMA/AJ