FIFA is reportedly considering expanding the number of participating teams for the 2030 World Cup from 48 to 64, according to The Guardian.

The proposed expansion is said to be part of the tournament’s 100th-anniversary celebrations. The idea was reportedly raised during a FIFA Council meeting on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is said to find the proposal "interesting," with the committee expected to deliberate further before making a final decision.

"A proposal to analyze a 64-team FIFA World Cup to celebrate the centenary of the FIFA World Cup in 2030 was spontaneously raised by a FIFA Council member under the 'miscellaneous' agenda item near the end of the FIFA Council meeting held on March 5, 2025.

The idea was acknowledged, as FIFA has a duty to analyze any proposal from one of its council members," A FIFA spokesperson stated as quoted by the Daily Mail.

If approved, this would mark the second consecutive expansion of the FIFA World Cup following the increase in teams for the 2026 edition.

FIFA officially adopted the 48-team format on January 10, 2017, introducing 16 groups of three teams and a total of 80 matches, with the top two from each group advancing to a newly established round of 32.

The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. However, to commemorate the tournament’s centenary, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay will each host an opening match.