FIFA is studying the possibility of expanding the World Cup from 48 to 64 teams for the 2030 edition, a move that could reshape the world's biggest football tournament as it turns 100 years old.
The global football governing body wants to appoint an independent organization to evaluate the ambitious expansion plan, which would add 16 more nations to a competition already growing from 32 to 48 teams from 2026.
In a research document accessed by Reuters, FIFA stated: “FIFA would like to appoint an independent organisation to determine what impact expanding the FIFA World Cup from 48 to 64 national teams, starting from the 2030 edition, could have on the tournament proposal.”
South America's football confederation CONMEBOL formally proposed hosting a 64-team World Cup in 2030 last year, aiming to allow more countries to participate in the centenary celebrations.
The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico is the first change from the 32-team format since 1998, adding four more groups and an extra knockout round, resulting in 104 matches spanning over five weeks.
The accelerated study comes shortly after FIFA's plan to establish a $20 billion subsidiary to run the World Cup and other events with external investors, a move that has drawn criticism and prompted UEFA to boycott FIFA events.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin last year said expanding the World Cup to 64 teams was inappropriate. The European football body's stance remains unchanged, while Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa also expressed opposition, questioning where further expansion would lead.
The analysis FIFA proposes aims to assess whether expansion could strengthen the tournament or if concerns such as diluted competitiveness, schedule overload, operational complexities, and market saturation would outweigh potential benefits.
The study will examine the potential impact of expansion on competitiveness, balance among teams, qualification, player welfare, and the international match calendar. It will also estimate revenue generated from ticket sales, sponsorship, and media rights under the proposed format.
The document emphasizes: “The final recommendation should demonstrate not only whether a 64-team tournament could create added value, but also whether that value is sustainable.”
FIFA said the decision to select the research organization will be made on August 14, with only four weeks to complete the analysis by September 11.
The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, while Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay will each host one match to commemorate the tournament's 100th anniversary.
