FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed the men's World Cup will not expand to 64 teams and will stay at its current 48-team format. The decision follows significant opposition from continental confederations and comes ahead of the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco.

Infantino, who is seeking a fourth term as president, informed the heads of the six global football confederations of his position. "If he is re-elected for a new term, he does not plan to increase the number of participants in the World Cup," the president said. This reverses a previous proposal he had pushed to expand the 2030 tournament to 64 nations to mark the competition's 100th anniversary.

Opposition to expansion plan

The plan for a larger World Cup faced strong resistance from UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). UEFA reportedly stated that all 55 of its member associations would boycott future World Cups if Infantino sold commercial rights to external investors linked to former U.S. President Donald Trump. The proposal to sell stakes in future tournaments, part of a controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise plan unveiled in July, intensified governance debates within the global body.

The expansion idea was initially put forward by the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) as a centenary celebration. The 2030 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, with Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay each staging one opening centenary match. Those six host nations will qualify automatically. The 2034 World Cup hosting rights have been awarded to Saudi Arabia.

Format and future hosts

The upcoming 2026 World Cup, to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be the first under the 48-team format. It will feature 12 groups of four teams, with the top two from each group and the eight best third-placed sides advancing to a round of 32. Infantino has led FIFA since 2016 and the 77th FIFA Congress in Morocco next March will decide if he continues in the role.

Infantino's announcement clarifies the future format after months of speculation and internal conflict. The FIFA Forward Enterprise plan, which includes the potential sale of commercial rights to private equity groups, remains a point of contention among member associations despite the World Cup expansion plan being shelved.

Background and full detail: open.kg