FIFA to Assess 64-Team World Cup Idea After 2026

What happened: FIFA president Gianni Infantino has indicated that plans for a 64-team men's World Cup will be picked up and assessed in detail after the 2026 tournament. According to the BBC Football report, Infantino framed the wider idea around football needing to be "for the whole world," but the important operational point is that this remains an assessment process, not a confirmed expansion.

Why it matters: The men's World Cup is already entering a new era in 2026, when the tournament expands to 48 teams. A 64-team format would represent another major step, and it would raise immediate questions for confederations, host nations, broadcasters, clubs, and fans. More places could mean broader global representation, especially for regions that often face narrow qualification paths. It could also dilute the qualifying jeopardy that has long made the tournament cycle feel severe.

Tournament impact: If FIFA eventually moved from 48 to 64 teams, the format would likely need another structural rethink after the 2026 edition has been tested. The number of groups, knockout rounds, rest days, travel demands, and venue requirements would all become central issues. A larger field may give more national teams a realistic route into the tournament, but it would also increase the burden on host infrastructure and calendar planning.

Competitive balance: The strongest argument for expansion is access. A 64-team World Cup would bring more countries into the event and could accelerate investment in national programs that currently sit just outside regular qualification. The counterargument is quality control. A bigger field can create more mismatches if qualification depth does not keep pace, and it can make the early stage feel less selective. The 2026 tournament will therefore become an important reference point for FIFA before any further expansion is judged.

What to watch: The next real signal will come after the 2026 World Cup, when FIFA has evidence from the first 48-team edition. Watch for whether the assessment focuses on competitive quality, global representation, commercial scale, player workload, or host feasibility. Those priorities will reveal whether the 64-team discussion is a genuine policy path or a long-term concept being kept alive.

Confidence: Confirmed by the source is that Infantino has opened the door to a 64-team men's World Cup and that plans are expected to be assessed in detail after the 2026 tournament. Not confirmed are any approval, start date, format, host model, qualification allocation, or final decision by FIFA.