FIFA’s World Cup 2026 enlargement was their first since 1998, however the 2030 version may rise to 64 groups.
Printed On 31 Jul 2026
FIFA is learning whether or not to develop the World Cup from 48 to 64 groups for the 2030 version in a transfer that would reshape soccer’s showpiece match when it celebrates its centennial.
World soccer’s governing physique needs to nominate an impartial company to evaluate the formidable enlargement plan, which might add one other 16 nations to a match that had already grown from 32 to 48 groups in 2026.
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“FIFA needs to nominate an impartial company to find out whether or not and the way increasing the FIFA World Cup from 48 to 64 taking part nationwide groups, beginning with the 2030 version, would impression on the match proposition,” it stated in a analysis transient seen by the information company Reuters.
South American confederation CONMEBOL had formally proposed internet hosting the 2030 World Cup with 64 groups final yr, permitting extra international locations the chance to hitch within the celebrations for the match’s centennial version.
The 2026 version within the US, Canada and Mexico was the primary since 1998 to maneuver away from the 32-team format, including 4 extra teams and an additional knockout spherical within the course of, leading to 104 matches over greater than 5 weeks.
The accelerated research comes on the heels of FIFA’s plan to create a $20bn subsidiary to run the World Cup and its different occasions with exterior traders, a transfer that has attracted criticism and a UEFA choice to boycott FIFA occasions.
Al Jazeera has contacted FIFA for remark.
UEFA and FIFA could possibly be on one other World Cup collision course
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin stated final yr that increasing the World Cup to 64 groups was not a good suggestion.
The European governing physique’s place has not modified since then, whereas Asian Soccer Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa had additionally voiced opposition, questioning final yr the place additional enlargement would possibly finish.
FIFA’s proposed evaluation is supposed to evaluate whether or not the proposed enlargement can strengthen the match or whether or not considerations equivalent to competitors dilution, calendar congestion, operational complexity and market saturation outweigh the potential advantages.
The research will study the potential impression of increasing the match to 64 groups, together with the results on the competitors, aggressive steadiness, qualification, participant welfare and the worldwide calendar.
It is going to additionally estimate the revenues that could possibly be generated from ticket gross sales, sponsorship and media rights underneath the proposed format.
“The ultimate suggestion ought to display not solely whether or not a 64-team match can generate incremental worth, however whether or not that worth is sustainable,” the doc added.
FIFA stated a choice on deciding on the company could be made on August 14 and they’d have solely 4 weeks to ship their evaluation by September 11.
The 2030 World Cup is being collectively hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain, whereas Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will host one match every to have fun the match’s one centesimal anniversary.
FIFA is already dealing with a dispute with its confederations as a consequence of a plan to promote stakes in World Cups and different occasions to non-public traders.
