President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) Gianni Infantino said that after the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup, the organization may consider increasing the number of participants in the world championship to 64 national teams, according to his interview with the Blue Sport portal.
According to Infantino, the format featuring 48 national teams, used for the first time at the 2026 World Cup, proved successful and allowed more teams to show themselves worthily at the tournament.
“After the World Cup, we have to think about it,” the FIFA chief said, commenting on the possibility of further expanding the tournament.
Infantino noted that the increase in the number of participants allowed teams from different continents to earn points and reach the playoffs. According to him, this confirms the importance of giving more national teams the opportunity to compete at the World Cup.
The 2026 World Cup, which is taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, became the first tournament in history to feature 48 teams. Before that, 32 national teams competed in the final stage of the world championship.
The 2026 tournament has now reached its decisive stage. France and Spain will meet in the semifinals on July 15, while England and Argentina will face each other on July 16. The third-place match will take place on July 19, and the World Cup final will be held on July 20.
