Gianni Infantino abandons plan to expand World Cup to 64 teams
Infantino informed the presidents of the six continental confederations he will not push expansion of the World Cup or the Club World Cup.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has abandoned a proposal to expand the men’s World Cup to 64 teams, telling the presidents of the six continental confederations that he will not push the plan for either the World Cup or the Club World Cup.
The decision was reported on November 7, 2026, after an initiative first floated by Infantino in July that envisaged increasing the tournament from 48 to 64 national teams. The idea met with criticism and deepened disputes between FIFA and UEFA.
Background and commercial tensions
The move comes amid a wider row over a proposed structure called "FIFA Forward Enterprise," intended to combine FIFA’s commercial operations and tournament organisation and open the door to private investors. UEFA strongly opposed the plan and warned it could trigger a boycott of FIFA competitions.
Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, informed the continental presidents that he will not advance the expansion proposal for the global finals or the Club World Cup. Observers say the reversal removes a major source of friction with European football authorities ahead of Infantino’s expected reelection bid.
Infantino is expected to stand for another term at FIFA elections scheduled for March 2027 in Morocco.
Photo: FIFA World Cup Stats (X)
