The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) is seriously considering increasing the number of World Cup teams from 48 to 64, starting from the 2030 edition, which will be hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal.
This potential step comes as part of FIFA’s efforts to enhance inclusivity and provide more countries the opportunity to participate in this premier football event.
According to news reports and the Spanish newspaper “AS,” the proposal to increase the number of World Cup teams has strongly resurfaced, especially with the approach of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, which will feature 48 teams for the first time.
It is worth noting that this increase will double the number of participating teams compared to the last edition held in Qatar in 2022, which featured 32 teams.
The idea of increasing the number of World Cup teams is not new; the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) has been one of the main supporters of the proposal on previous occasions, aiming to give participation opportunities to many countries that have not yet appeared in the global football festival.
Sources confirm that FIFA welcomes this idea and sees it as a positive step towards developing the game globally and giving more teams the chance to compete at the highest level.
