66 Teams at the 2030 World Cup? FIFA’s Most Radical Idea Yet
Football’s biggest party keeps getting bigger — and potentially unrecognisable. FIFA is reportedly considering expanding the 2030 World Cup in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco to 66 teams, following requests from several federations. The proposal has gained significant momentum in recent weeks.
How Did We Get Here?
The story began modestly enough. During a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, a Council member proposed opening sixteen additional slots for the 2030 World Cup. According to a subsequent report by the New York Times, the proposal came from Ignacio Alonso, president of the Uruguayan Football Federation, who suggested a shift to a format featuring 64 national teams — raised under the last agenda item, “any other business.”
What was initially a surprise quickly snowballed. CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez then submitted an official proposal, framing it around the centenary of the World Cup — the first edition of which was won by Uruguay — declaring: “This will allow all countries to have the opportunity to live the world experience and so nobody on the planet is left out of the party. We are convinced that the centennial celebration will be unique because 100 years are celebrated only once.”
Now, the figure circulating has crept up even further to 66 teams — a number that would be truly without precedent in world sport.
The “Pluralism” Argument
Initially suggested by CONMEBOL to widen access to the elite level, what was once seen as a radical idea is now being taken seriously by several member federations. FIFA’s hierarchy, headed by Gianni Infantino, is increasingly viewing this expansion as a way to promote plurality.
Infantino has frequently described the tournament as a global celebration, and a 66-team format would offer nations that have never tasted World Cup action a realistic path to the grandest stage. With the 2026 edition already set to feature debutants Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan and Jordan, the appetite for a broader guest list is growing at FIFA headquarters.
The Numbers Are Staggering
To put the scale in perspective: a move to 64 teams alone would mean the 2030 edition features 128 matches. The 2026 tournament will feature 104 matches, already up from the previous format’s 64. A 66-team tournament would push that figure even higher.
In the tournament’s century-long history, the record books show only about 80 different flags that have ever appeared at a World Cup — not much more than the 64 or 66 proposed for 2030 alone.
The Critics Are Loud
Not everyone is celebrating. Internal FIFA sources have warned that 128 matches and a lack of competitiveness in an expanded format would be costly to FIFA’s bottom line. One source said: “The overwhelming feeling around the table — and not just in Europe — is that 64 teams would damage the World Cup. There’d be too many uncompetitive matches, and it would risk damaging the business model.”
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has been among the most vocal opponents, describing the proposal as simply “a bad idea.”
There are also serious logistical headaches. The 2030 tournament is already unconventional, with hosting rights awarded to six countries across three continents — Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Questions surround the quality of a 66-team competition, since it would include nearly a third of FIFA’s 211 member nations, and could render certain World Cup qualification competitions largely meaningless.
Revenue vs. Romance
Behind all the idealistic language about pluralism and inclusion, the financial motive is hard to ignore. Critics may argue about the dilution of quality, but the governing body’s focus appears firmly fixed on the massive revenue and engagement potential that a 66-team spectacle would bring to the global stage.
For African nations like Ghana, a larger tournament does open more doors — but at what cost to the prestige of qualifying? That debate is only just beginning.