FIFA President Gianni Infantino has revealed that the possibility of expanding the 2030 FIFA World Cup from 48 to 64 teams will be reviewed.
According to foreign media reports, Infantino said FIFA officials will discuss the proposal after the 2026 World Cup, adding that increasing the number of participating teams could be beneficial for global football.
The FIFA president said the proposal to increase the number of participating teams would be discussed and evaluated by the relevant committees after the upcoming World Cup.
Infantino said that when organizing a World Cup, it is important to make it a truly global event rather than one focused only on Europe and South America. He added that every country should have the opportunity to dream of competing on football’s biggest stage.
“You can see that the quality of teams is very high and continues to improve around the world. If smaller countries are not given opportunities to participate in the World Cup, they will have no motivation to further improve their performances,” he said.
It is worth noting that the World Cup featured 32 teams from 1998 to 2022, while the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first edition to include 48 teams.
Infantino described the 48-team format as a major success and said the possibility of expanding the tournament to 64 teams could allow each South American country to host a full group of four teams instead of hosting only individual matches.
On the other hand, the FIFA World Cup 2026 is nearing its conclusion. The month-long mega event has featured not only star players but also the silent warriors who play a crucial role behind the scenes.
In a football match, while players from two teams battle it out across the field, two key figures stand quietly at either end of the pitch the goalkeepers. Positioned in front of the goalposts, they are responsible for preventing opponents from scoring, sometimes making spectacular saves and sometimes being unable to stop powerful attacks.
At the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026, these goalkeeping heroes have also earned recognition alongside the attacking stars of the tournament.
Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper Voz Zanha has emerged as one of the standout performers of the competition. In his first World Cup match against former champions Spain, he delivered a remarkable performance that impressed fans around the world and turned him into a global sensation.
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