The historical march of World Cup expansion has come to a definitive pause. After growing from 16 teams to 24, then 32, and soon 48, the next logical step to 64 has been rejected by FIFA, which has confirmed it is not planning such a format for the 2030 tournament.
The proposal to take that next step was formally made by South American football leaders, who saw the 2030 centenary edition as the perfect opportunity for another leap in size. Their meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino was a nod to the historical trend of expansion.
However, the context has changed. The leap from 32 to 48 teams is already a massive undertaking, and the global football community has shown little appetite for another immediate, even more drastic change. Within FIFA, the consensus is that a 64-team tournament would be a mistake, diluting the quality that makes the World Cup special.
This resistance, voiced by powerful figures like UEFA’s Aleksander Ceferin, marks a potential turning point in the tournament’s history. It suggests a recognition that the model of perpetual growth has its limits and that a balance must be struck between inclusivity and quality.
The World Cup’s history is one of constant evolution, but for now, that evolution has been halted. The decision to reject the 64-team format signals that the era of aggressive expansion is over, at least for the time being.