FIFA Weighs Expansion of World Cup to 64 Nations for Centenary Celebration

FIFA, the governing body of football, is reportedly considering an expansion of the 2030 World Cup to include 64 teams, celebrating the centenary of this prestigious tournament, according to a report from the New York Times on Thursday.

This upcoming World Cup will take place across Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, with Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay—where the very first tournament was held—hosting three matches.

At the time of publication, FIFA had not provided a comment in response to requests from Reuters.

The World Cup has previously expanded from 32 to 48 teams for the next tournament, set to take place in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.

As reported by the New York Times, the latest suggestion to increase the 2030 tournament to 64 teams came from Ignacio Alonso, a delegate from Uruguay, during the conclusion of a recent meeting.

The report mentioned that this proposal was met with ‘stunned silence’ among the attendees, although no specific sources were named.

According to three individuals present at the meeting, “FIFA is likely to prioritise both financial and political advantages alongside sporting ones when making a decision on this proposal.

“FIFA president Mr Infantino… characterised the proposal as intriguing and warranting further examination,” the New York Times stated, citing “four individuals with direct knowledge of the discussions.”