FIFA President Gianni Infantino said that any further expansion of the 2030 World Cup “will be discussed” now the 2026 tournament has finished, though the idea has raised logistical “question marks” about whether 64 teams is the way forward in the long term, according to Sam Blitz of SKYSPORTS. A 64-team tournament would mean “more teams, more matches, more talking points.” A 64-team field would “create one heck of a group stage” as it would go up from 72 matches to 96. If FIFA try to average 4.5 matches a day in a 64-team group stage, then the first part of the tournament “would take three weeks.” Given the round of 32 onwards in this World Cup “needs another three weeks to complete, that would mean a six-week tournament.” Assuming there is a couple of weeks of pre-tournament preparations for each country, then the 1,664 players taking part in the World Cup would have to “give up two months for the competition.” If this becomes a long-term plan from FIFA, a 64-team tournament would “effectively confirm that the World Cup can no longer be held by one individual nation.” For the current 48-team tournament, 15 stadiums are being used for 12 groups and 104 games. Using those numbers as a template, a move to 64 teams “would mean 20 grounds would be needed for 128 matches” (SKY SPORTS, 7/21).
Logistical questions face potential 64-team World Cup in 2030
