How would a World Cup with 64 teams work? Gianni Infantino

How would a World Cup with 64 teams work? Gianni Infantino

According to Sports.

Background

Folarin Balogan, a talented player, could play a key role in an expanded World Cup participation for a smaller nation such as Curacao or another team that qualifies. His performances could be crucial in leading the team to such a prestigious tournament, which would be important for both his career and the visibility of football in these countries.

Why this is important

The possible expansion of the World Cup to 64 teams could significantly change the competitive landscape in international football. In particular, smaller nations such as Curacao and Jordan would have a more realistic chance of qualifying for such a tournament, which could increase global reach and interest in football. However, reactions from the football community have been mixed, with some experts such as UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin raising concerns about the quality of the competition.

Key findings

• How would a World Cup with 64 teams work? Gianni Infantino.
• Gianni Infantino hinted at expanding the World Cup to 64 teams.
• How would a 64-team World Cup work? Gianni Infantino opens door to further tournament expansion - Yahoo Sports.

The first World Cup with 48 teams is coming to an end - and FIFA President Gianni Infantino is already hinting at further expansion of the tournament. Infantino has hinted at expanding the tournament to 64 teams in 2030, after the 2026 World Cup was deemed a resounding success with 48 teams. In 2017, the FIFA president had member associations approve the move to a 48-team World Cup, but a possible expansion to 64 teams could face greater resistance. For example, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin spoke of a “bad idea”. Such an expansion would mean the number of participating countries would double in just two tournaments and within eight years. Before the 2026 World Cup, a 32 World Cup had been the standard since 1998. But what would a 1964 World Cup look like if it was approved before the 2030 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Spain, Portugal and Morocco? Fundamental reforms would be necessary to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams. First, the continental associations would have to divide up their starting places. At the 2026 World Cup, CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean), the CAF (African Football Confederation) and the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) particularly benefited from the tournament expansion, as their starting places have effectively doubled - if the possible places for the playoffs are taken into account. Europe, on the other hand, as the continent with the most starting places b ei the World Cup, only received three additional places, which caused discontent in Europe. If there is talk of inclusivity when it comes to expanding the World Cup, then Europe, which is currently the most strongly represented continent at the World Cup, would probably not be a big beneficiary even in a 1964 World Cup. However, it would be expected that the number of European starting places would increase to at least 20. The Oceania Football Association (OFC) would also likely receive another direct berth, although New Zealand is the only country in the association to be in the top 150 of the FIFA world rankings. The AFC, CAF and CONCACAF would also receive significant increases, allowing even very small football nations such as Curacao, Uzbekistan or Jordan to participate in the World Cup. However, there is hardly any leeway for the South American association CONMEBOL. The continent only has ten member states, but already receives six direct starting places and one place for the playoffs. FIFA can't give much away here without jeopardizing qualification for South America. The formats of the continental associations' qualifications could also change. Both the AFC and CONCACAF have significantly changed their qualifying formats for the 2026 World Cup. While CONCACAF moved from a single-tier "Octagonal" tournament to a multi-tier group system, the AFC increased its qualification for the 2026 World Cup to five rounds to the eight straight to do justice to starting positions. The two associations may also have to reform again. In the event of a '64 World Cup, FIFA could also change the format of the final tournament, perhaps following UEFA's new format for its international competitions. But as of now, a 64-man World Cup would only mean that there would be four additional groups to the existing number of 16 groups. However, such an increase would mean that the third-placed teams would no longer advance to the knockout round. At the 2026 World Cup, the best two teams in each group and the eight best third-place teams will advance to the knockout round. In a '64 World Cup, only the best two from each group would advance to the knockout rounds. The third-place teams would then no longer be relevant, which in turn raises the question of whether third-place games should even be scheduled. However, there could also be more knockout rounds if the number of participants was increased to 64. An example of such an additional round could be the current Champions League version of the “knock-out play-offs”. If there were an additional slot for a knockout round, there would be additional teams taking part in the Champions League that would not necessarily be the best teams in the respective leagues. You could say it would be a type of inclusion. But if it had a financial or commercial advantage for FIFA, then it would probably a also apply in relation to a 1964 World Cup. But such an expansion seems unlikely at the moment. Infantino said they would "explore" the possibility of expanding to 64 teams after the 2026 World Cup, but for now it looks like he has other things to worry about — such as the stability of his tenure. He is currently facing intense criticism, including over the decision to lift US striker Folarin Balogun's ban from FIFA. This decision is also said to have been influenced by US President Donald Trump. As a result, it looks like Gianni Infantino has no time to deal with the question of tournament expansion. It would be a matter of time to clarify such a question as to whether an expansion to 64 teams would be possible. And it is also questionable whether Infantino will have the time to make such proposals and enforce them, as the 2026 FIFA presidential election is likely to put him under greater scrutiny and it is doubtful whether he will still have the same political capital with the associations by the 2026 election as he does now. While the South American association CONMEBOL officially proposed expanding the World Cup to 64 teams in April 2023, many other football associations or their presidents have rejected this proposal. For example, the President of the AFC, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, said that further expansion iteration would bring “chaos”. CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani expressed fears that such an expansion would endanger the "entire football ecosystem." Ultimately the decision will rest with FIFA, but there are currently no signs that anything will move in that direction.

What happens next

If FIFA actually aims for a 64 World Cup in 2030, comprehensive reforms in qualification and the distribution of starting places would be necessary. The continental associations would have to adjust their quotas, which could lead to intensive negotiations. In this context, the role of players like Folarin Balogan, who play for different nations, could also become more important, as they potentially contribute to the diversification of the participating countries.

Frequently asked questions

What did Gianni Infantino say about the World Cup expansion?

Gianni Infantino has hinted that the 2030 World Cup could be expanded to 64 teams, after the 2026 World Cup was deemed a success with 48 teams.

Why is there discussion about expanding to 64 teams?

The discussion about expanding to 64 teams comes up because the 2026 World Cup with 48 teams was viewed as a complete success and the FIFA presidents are aiming to double the number of participating countries in a short time.

Who expressed concerns about the 1964 World Cup?

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferi n has expressed concerns and described the idea of a '64 World Cup as a 'bad idea'.

What changes would be necessary for a '64 World Cup?

Fundamental reforms would be necessary for a 1964 World Cup, including the distribution of starting places between the continental associations.

When could the '64 World Cup take place?

The '64 World Cup could potentially take place before the 2030 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

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