FIFA is considering whether to expand the men’s World Cup to include 64 teams in 2030, a spokesperson has confirmed.
The football tournament has already expanded ahead of next year’s edition, with 48 teams set to compete – instead of the usual 32 – as the United States, Mexico and Canada share hosting duties.
The idea to have 64 teams compete as a one-off for the World Cup’s centenary year in 2030 was put forward this week.
The proposal was “spontaneously raised by a FIFA council member” near the end of a meeting held by world football’s governing body on Wednesday, a FIFA spokesperson said.
“The idea was acknowledged as FIFA has a duty to analyse any proposal from one of its council members,” they added.
It was suggested by the elected delegate from Uruguay, Ignacio Alonso, two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussion was confidential.
The 2026 World Cup will be the biggest edition of the tournament so far, with 104 games being played across 16 host cities in a six-week period.
Supersizing it even further would likely present fresh logistical challenges.
Also, it would mean hundreds more players going to the World Cup at a time when player unions have criticised a relentless expansion of games and competitions without consulting their members.
However, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said expansion raises revenue and gives more teams the chance to qualify, citing a need to develop football globally.
Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham told Sky News: “I know that a huge amount of countries around the world have never had the opportunity to play in the World Cup finals and would like the opportunity to do that, but then you’ve got to balance that up with the tournament itself.
“So let’s see what the ideas are and then we can judge them.”
Planning is already well under way for the 2030 tournament, set to be hosted in six countries across three continents.
To mark 100 years since the first World Cup took place in Uruguay, the first match of the tournament will be played in Montevideo, the Uruguayan capital.
Argentina, runners up in the first World Cup, and Paraguay – where South America’s football confederation, Conmebol, is based – will also host one match each to open the tournament.
The contest will then move east, with Spain and Portugal and Morocco serving as the main co-hosts.
On Wednesday, it was announced the four nations of the UK are planning a joint bid to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup.
