The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, with centenary matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay. But the tournament’s format is now in flux. FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed the organization will examine the possibility of a 64-team World Cup, a radical expansion from the 48-team model already set for 2026.
This is not a distant hypothetical. Infantino stated publicly that FIFA will study the feasibility. The Guardian’s Football Daily column labeled the move “more is more” in FIFA-land, framing it as a pure cash machine. The core search query ‘where is the next world cup 2030’ now carries a secondary question: in what shape?
The 2026 tournament, with 48 teams, already doubled the group-stage matches to 104. A 64-team event would push the total beyond 120 matches. Host nation logistics would be strained. The financial incentive for FIFA is clear: more teams equal more broadcast rights, more sponsorship deals, and more ticket sales. Revenue projections are the engine.
Critics call this the football doomsday. With 64 teams, nearly 30% of FIFA’s 211 member nations qualify. The average match quality drops. The ‘group of death’ drama evaporates. Player welfare is a crisis. Elite athletes face burnout from an expanded Champions League, a new Club World Cup, and a bloated World Cup schedule. Purists fear the World Cup becomes a glorified exhibition.
Could the next World Cup have even more teams? The slippery slope is real. Infantino has a pattern: 32 to 48 to 64. He has previously talked about ‘globalizing football.’ The theoretical limit could be 80 teams. UEFA has resisted. South American federations worry about qualification value. African nations want more slots. The debate is fractured.
What will actually happen? The decision timeline points to a FIFA vote in 2026 or 2027. Feasibility studies are underway now. The most likely outcome is a compromise 52-team model, or a delayed 64-team debut for 2034 instead of 2030. For fans searching ‘where is the next world cup 2030,’ the answer remains the same location. The format is in flux.
The 64-team World Cup is not a question of if, but when. It is driven by FIFA’s unquenchable thirst for revenue. Whether this is a football doomsday or a new golden era depends on whether the sport can preserve its soul amid the financial storm. Follow the FIFA Congress updates. Voice your opinion on the expansion survey.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: Where is the next World Cup 2030?
- A: The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, with centenary matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.
- Q: Will the 2030 World Cup have 64 teams?
- A: FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed the organization will study the feasibility of a 64-team format, a radical expansion from the 48-team model set for 2026.
- Q: Why does FIFA want to expand to 64 teams?
- A: Financial incentives drive the proposal: more teams mean more broadcast rights, sponsorship deals, and ticket sales, boosting FIFA’s revenue.
- Q: What are the criticisms of a 64-team World Cup?
- A: Critics warn of diluted match quality, player burnout from an overloaded schedule, and the World Cup becoming a glorified exhibition, calling it football doomsday.
Extended Reading
Sources: WMUR report on FIFA expansion consideration; The Guardian Football Daily column ‘A 64-team World Cup? More is more when it comes to Fifa-land’. The ESPN article was blocked by request limit.