FIFA reportedly exploring expansion of World Cup to 64 teams amid backlash over selling event to private investors

FIFA president Gianni Infantino seems determined to make changes after a successful 2026 World Cup. Amid backlash over Infantino’s plans to sell stakes in the event to private investors, FIFA is also looking into expanding the event to include 64 teams, per ESPN.

FIFA reportedly sent out a brief titled “Potential expansion of the FIFA World Cup to 64 teams” on Thursday. FIFA is asking for a decision on the topic by Aug. 14, just over two weeks after that brief was sent out.

The document, which was seen by ESPN, said FIFA is “considering the strategic implications of a possible expansion of the FIFA World Cup beyond the current format.”

It asked for an independent agency to be appointed to “determine whether and how expanding the FIFA World Cup from 48 to 64 participating teams, starting with the 2030 edition, would impact on the tournament proposition football ecosystem.”

If the proposal gained enough support, it would merely lead to research being conducted on the topic of expansion. It would not mean 64 teams will take part in the 2030 World Cup … yet.

The 2026 World Cup was the first of the event to feature 48 teams. In 2025, FIFA explored the idea of expanding the event to 64 teams ahead of the 2030 World Cup, though it didn’t get much support. Thursday’s proposal marks another attempt to push the idea forward.

This proposal comes amid backlash over Infantino’s plans to sell stakes of the World Cup to private investors. That decision has drawn massive criticism from UEFA and Concacaf, as well as led to the resignation of one of Infantino’s top advisors.

In response to that news, UEFA announced a boycott of the World Cup and all FIFA-run competitions. Concacaf did not boycott, but heavily criticized the private-investor proposal.

FIFA issued a statement late Thursday trying to clarify its stance.

As far as potential expansion, should FIFA’s proposal on the topic get enough support by the Aug. 14 deadline, the independent agency would be tasked with delivering its findings by Sept. 11, per ESPN. That is eight days before Infantino’s deadline for his private-investor proposal.

Given the tense relationship between Infantino and numerous important governing bodies across the sport, it’s unclear how the expansion proposal will be received so soon after the private-investor idea was met with extreme resistance.