From 48 to 64 participating nations? FIFA is considering a further increase in the number of teams at the World Cup – under the agenda item “Miscellaneous”.
The idea of expanding the World Cup even further by 2030 is circulating within the world football association. As the world association confirmed to SID, the proposal was put forward at the FIFA Council meeting on Wednesday to increase the number of participants to 64 teams to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the World Cup. The New York Times had previously reported on this.
The suggestion to analyze a World Cup with 64 teams due to the anniversary was “spontaneously presented by a member of the FIFA Council under the agenda item ‘Miscellaneous’ towards the end of the meeting,” a federation spokesperson told the SID: “The idea was noted because FIFA is obliged to consider any proposal from one of its council members.”
Initiative from Uruguay
According to the NYT report, the proposal was submitted by the Uruguayan association president Ignacio Alonso. Uruguay is co-hosting the 2030 World Cup, which will also be held in Argentina, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain and Morocco.
It would be the next huge expansion of the World Cup. The field of participants in the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico has already been increased to 48 teams under the direction of FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
