Spanish Media Reports World Cup Plan to Expand Final Tournament to 66 Teams
FIFA is considering expanding the 2030 World Cup to 66 teams, up from the 48-team format debuting in 2026, to increase opportunities for nations rarely qualifying for football's biggest tournament.
Spanish media outlet AS reports that a proposal to expand the World Cup from 48 to 66 teams has returned to FIFA's agenda once again. FIFA recently expanded the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico next month. However, Spanish media has revealed a proposal to further increase teams to 66 for the 2030 World Cup, which Spain, Morocco, and Portugal will co-host. This proposal emerged several months ago after CONMEBOL, South America's football confederation, sought to expand opportunities and make it easier for nations that have rarely appeared at the highest level of football to compete. The 2026 World Cup showcases examples of nations participating for the first time following the team expansion, including Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. Reports indicate the concept is gaining traction within FIFA's offices and among various football confederations as a way to celebrate the World Cup more broadly with greater national participation.
