Credit: REUTERS.com
A Tournament Like No Other
FIFA’s plans for the 2030 World Cup were already ambitious a cross-continental celebration spanning Europe, Africa, and South America, honoring 100 years of the tournament’s legacy. But behind closed doors, FIFA officials are reportedly entertaining an even bigger twist expanding the tournament from 48 teams to a record-breaking 64. If this happens, the 2030 World Cup wouldn’t just be the biggest football event ever it would become a sprawling global carnival, testing the limits of both sport and spectacle.
The Thinking Behind It: Bigger, Richer, Louder
1. Global Inclusion Over Exclusivity
FIFA’s leadership is acutely aware that more than half its member nations have never qualified for a World Cup. Expanding to 64 teams opens doors for football’s emerging nations, particularly in Africa, Asia, and CONCACAF, where football culture is growing fast but World Cup slots remain scarce.
This shift would reshape the tournament into something less like an elite competition and more like a true global summit — where powerhouse nations share the stage with debutants, each with their own story to tell.
2. The Money Machine
Make no mistake — this is also about cash.
- More teams = more matches
- More matches = more TV rights to sell
- More teams involved = more national sponsors, bigger merchandising opportunities, and new global markets tuning in.
The 2022 World Cup raked in nearly $7.5 billion in revenue, and FIFA sees expansion as the key to unlocking an even bigger payday.
3. Political Chess
For FIFA’s top brass, handing out extra qualification slots isn’t just good optics it’s smart politics. By offering new opportunities to regions historically underrepresented, FIFA solidifies its influence across key voting blocs in its global congress.
In short: more teams today means more allies tomorrow.
But Can the World Handle It?
With matches in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, plus a ceremonial opening in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, the 2030 World Cup is already the most geographically complex tournament FIFA has ever staged. Adding 16 more teams — and dozens of extra matches raises massive questions about:
Logistics on Steroids
- How do you schedule matches across three continents without forcing teams into grueling, cross-ocean journeys?
- Can stadiums, airports, and hotels across multiple nations handle this influx of teams and fans?
- Would fans be able to follow their teams without spending thousands on multi-country travel?
Quality vs. Quantity
Critics argue that expanding to 64 teams risks watering down the competition, flooding the group stages with mismatches where heavyweights demolish first-timers undermining the prestige of the tournament.
Player Burnout
Players and clubs are already bracing for a 48-team tournament in 2026, which is set to stretch the calendar to new extremes. Adding even more teams and games in 2030 could push elite players to the brink, further fueling the club-vs-country tensions that have simmered for years.
Possible Formats: Reinventing the World Cup
If FIFA goes ahead with 64 teams, they’ll need a creative way to make the competition work across continents. Some proposals floating around FIFA corridors include:
- Regional Group Stages: Teams play their initial group matches within one continent (either Europe, Africa, or South America) to reduce early travel.
- Tiered Qualification Within the Tournament: Lower-ranked teams enter a preliminary playoff stage, meaning not all 64 teams would start on equal footing.
- Expanded Knockouts: Instead of a Round of 32, some models suggest adding a Round of 48, creating a more complex but potentially more thrilling path to the final.
Fans Divided: More Drama or More Dilution?
Support from New Nations
For fans in nations that rarely (or never) qualify, an expanded World Cup is a dream come true a chance to see their colors fly on the biggest stage. For them, the World Cup is more than just football it’s a rare moment of global recognition.
Backlash from Traditionalists
But for purists, the idea of adding 16 more teams dilutes the magic. The World Cup’s mystique comes from its elite, rarefied air — the best of the best, not a bloated field where glorified qualifiers drag on for weeks.
The prospect of one-sided thrashings where giants like Brazil or France crush debutants 8-0 fuels the fear that the World Cup could lose its competitive edge.
The Bigger Picture: A Preview of FIFA’s Future
What happens in 2030 may not just shape that single tournament it could set the tone for the next 50 years of international football.
- Does the World Cup become a global mega-festival, with inclusivity taking priority over sporting purity?
- Or does FIFA find a way to balance global growth with the competitive prestige that has defined the World Cup for a century?
The battle over 64 teams in 2030 is more than a logistical debate it’s a philosophical showdown over what the World Cup should be in the modern era.
What’s Next?
FIFA is expected to discuss the expansion proposal formally later this year, with a decision likely before the 2026 World Cup kicks off.
Whatever they decide, one thing is clear: The future of the World Cup won’t just be played on the pitch it’s being fought in the boardrooms, where football’s future is being reimagined right now.
