Any further growth of the World Cup to include 64 teams at the finals will be considered after the current edition, according to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who offered no specifics.
The 2026 tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States features 48 teams for the first time. The move drew criticism earlier but has generated little discussion since matches began on June 11.
Infantino, who supported the increase from 32 teams, told Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport that such matters would be studied after the event. He stressed the need to organize the tournament for the entire world rather than only Europe and South America, adding that every nation should have the chance to dream of participation. He noted rising quality among teams worldwide and said smaller countries require the incentive to improve.
He described the 48-team format as successful, pointing out that squads from every continent scored goals and earned points. Nine of ten African teams reached the knockout stage, compared with five at the previous World Cup, underscoring the value of broader inclusion.
The field grew to 32 teams in 1998. The 2030 finals will be hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain, while the 2034 event is set for Saudi Arabia.
Infantino also addressed hydration breaks and ticket prices. He acknowledged debate over the breaks, introduced partly for television partners, and explained they occurred in about 60 percent of matches during last year’s Club World Cup when heat required them. He defended pricing by noting 99.7 percent stadium capacity, expected to reach 99.9 percent, and said secondary-market resales at four or five times face value showed demand.
FIFA is projected to earn 13 to 14 billion Swiss francs from the 39-day event, which Infantino called satisfactory.
