FIFA to consider increasing the number of teams AGAIN for the 2030 World Cup to mark the tournament’s 100-year anniversary
FIFA are considering increasing the number of teams that will participate in the 2030 World Cup.
The tournament, which will be held across three continents, will mark 100 years since the first World Cup.
At a meeting on Wednesday, Uruguay’s FIFA council member, Ignacio Alonso, proposed that more countries should be allowed to compete to mark the occasion.
He put forward that 64 teams should enter the World Cup, and it is understood that FIFA president Gianni Infantino described the idea as ‘interesting’.
FIFA only increased the number of competing nations to 48 for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
It had previously been 32 sides since the 1998 World Cup.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is considering increasing the number of teams to 64 for the 2030 World Cup
The proposal was put forward by Uruguay’s FIFA council member, Ignacio Alonso (pictured)
The 2030 World Cup will mark the 100-year anniversary of the tournament
Next year’s World Cup is set to see 12 groups of four teams, with each country playing one less group match than in previous tournaments.
However, there will be an extra knockout round, starting with the last-32. The World Cup is set to stretch across 39 days, with 16 different cities hosting matches across the US, Canada and Mexico.
The logistics of moving to 64 teams for a tournament that will be played in South America, Europe and Africa could be tricky, but Infantino has not ruled it out.
The proposal is likely to split opinion, and comes just a day after Infantino confirmed next year’s World Cup final will have a Super Bowl-style half-time show.
Infantino’s Instagram message to announce the news read: ‘It was my pleasure to speak with friends and colleagues attending the FIFA World Cup 26: FIFA Commercial & Media Partners Convention in Dallas, where we discussed some very exciting plans for the biggest-ever FIFA World Cup in 2026.
‘I can confirm the first ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final in New York New Jersey, in association with Global Citizen. This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.
‘We also spoke about how FIFA will takeover Times Square for the final weekend of the FIFA World Cup in 2026, during both the bronze final match and final.
‘These will be two incredible matches, featuring some of the best players in the world, and what better way to celebrate them than in the historic Times Square in New York City.
Infantino confirmed on Wednesday that next year’s World Cup final will have a half-time show
British band Coldplay will help finalise the list of artists for the event
‘My thanks of course to Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans and his incredible team, for helping us put together these amazing shows.
‘I also want to thank Chris Martin and Phil Harvey of Coldplay, who will be working with us at FIFA to finalise the list of artists who will perform during the half time show, as well as at Times Square.’
Confirmation of the half-time show did not go down well with some football fans, as they took to social media to claim the ‘game’s officially gone’ and that FIFA were only trying to appease their American audience.
