FIFA To Consider Expanding World Cup 2030 To 64 Teams
Retold by Oddsrama · 13 July 2026
FIFA is seriously looking at pushing the World Cup to 64 teams by 2030, according to president Gianni Infantino. The move would build on the expanded 48-team format coming to North America in 2026, and would be a massive step—giving nearly a third of all FIFA member nations a realistic shot at qualifying for the biggest tournament on the planet. South American football chiefs have been pushing hard for this centenary edition shake-up, and it's clearly resonating at the top.
Infantino's reasoning is straightforward: expanding access drives improvement across the entire football landscape. He's pointing to the 2022 Qatar World Cup as proof. Nine out of ten African teams made it past the group stage—a dramatic jump from five at the previous tournament. Teams from every continent were competitive, scoring regularly and picking up points. When smaller nations get a genuine chance to compete on football's biggest stage, they stay hungry and keep developing. Block them out, and they lose motivation to improve.
The 48-team format in 2026 has already been flagged as a "100 per cent success," with the United States, Mexico, and Canada tournament delivering over 100 matches and strong crowds. That positive vibe is clearly encouraging FIFA to think bigger for 2030. A 64-team World Cup would reshape qualification entirely and require serious rethinking of group structures and knockout rounds—details Infantino says will be hammered out after the 2026 finals wrap up.
For betting markets, this is a game-changer. Expanded tournaments mean more unpredictable matchups and longer shots get better odds. Smaller nations suddenly becoming contenders could shake up pre-tournament favorites and group-stage betting patterns significantly.
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