Africa Could Gain More World Cup Slots as FIFA Weighs 64 Team Expansion

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that world football’s governing body will consider expanding the FIFA World Cup to 64 teams from the 2030 edition, a move that could significantly increase Africa’s representation at the tournament.

The proposal, if approved, would add 16 more teams to the competition after the 2026 World Cup was expanded from 32 to 48 participating nations.

Infantino disclosed this in an interview with Swiss media outlet Bluewin, as reported by The New York Times, saying FIFA’s relevant committees would examine the proposal after the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup.

“It is definitely an issue that will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup,” he said.

According to the FIFA president, expanding the competition is consistent with the organisation’s objective of making the World Cup more inclusive.

“The World Cup is for the whole world, not just Europe and South America,” Infantino said.

“Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup. You can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high, and it’s getting higher and higher all over the world.”

He argued that giving smaller football nations greater opportunities to compete would encourage long-term development and raise standards globally.

Should FIFA approve the proposal, continental confederations would likely receive additional qualification places. Africa, which currently has 10 slots under the 48-team format, could benefit from a larger allocation.

Infantino described the expansion to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament as “100 percent a success,” despite concerns previously raised by some coaches and football administrators.

The proposal for a 64-team World Cup was first presented by Uruguayan football official Ignacio Alonso during a FIFA Council meeting in March 2025 and later received support from CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez.

However, the plan has attracted criticism from some football leaders. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin described it as “a bad idea,” while CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani also questioned the need for another expansion.

The 2030 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay for the opening matches, with Morocco, Portugal and Spain staging the remainder of the tournament.