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The FIFA World Cup could be set for another major expansion following the 48-team format introduced at this summer’s tournament.

CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez has confirmed that discussions are in progress to enlarge the next World Cup to 64 teams, marking the second consecutive expansion of the global event.

The recent edition, jointly hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada, featured 48 participating nations for the first time, an increase from 32 teams at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

However, the number of competing nations could rise once again for the FIFA World Cup 2030. Spain, Portugal, and Morocco are set to co-host the tournament, with one match each taking place in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay to commemorate the centenary of the first World Cup.

The 48-team structure was originally proposed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, with the governing body approving the change for the 2026 competition back in 2017, a year after Infantino assumed office.

Earlier this month, Infantino indicated that FIFA would evaluate the feasibility of a 64-team tournament, noting: “It’s crucial to make the World Cup accessible to the entire world... if smaller nations aren’t given a chance to participate, they won’t be motivated to continue improving.”

Less than two days after the 2026 final between Spain and Argentina, Dominguez—head of the South American football confederation CONMEBOL—confirmed that the 2030 event could be even larger than this summer’s edition.

He stated: “We are working to ensure that the 2030 World Cup includes 64 national teams as a tribute to the World Cup’s centenary.”

He added: “International football thrives when it opens itself to the world. The expansion to 48 teams proved that greater participation creates more opportunities, promotes the growth of football, and transforms the World Cup into a truly global celebration.”

“The centenary provides us with a historic chance to dream big. Let the World Cup become the greatest football celebration ever witnessed.”

In April 2025, CONMEBOL formally submitted a proposal to increase the number of teams at the 2030 World Cup to 64. The plan, however, still awaits approval from the 37-member FIFA Council, where a majority vote would be required.

Dominguez’s counterparts from other confederations have been less supportive of the idea. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, along with leaders from CONCACAF—which represents North and Central America and the Caribbean—and the AFC (Asia), have all voiced reservations about the potential expansion.

Under the proposed format, a 64-team World Cup would feature 16 groups of four teams each, with the top two advancing to the round of 32. Unlike this summer’s edition, there would be no third-place teams qualifying as best losers.

The total number of matches would rise from 104 in 2026 to 128, likely resulting in a competition that extends even beyond the five-and-a-half-week duration of this year’s North American tournament.

Although the structure would make the competition easier to follow and would ensure that finalists play the same number of matches, expanding to 64 teams would present significant logistical challenges.

The number of stadiums would need to increase beyond the 16 that hosted games this summer, and extensive infrastructure upgrades would be necessary to accommodate more teams and a larger number of travelling fans.

Nonetheless, following Gianni Infantino’s declaration that the 48-team World Cup was a success, it would not be surprising if the next edition grows even larger in just four years’ time.