FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that the potential expansion of the World Cup from 48 to 64 participating nations will be reviewed following the 2026 World Cup tournament. Infantino assessed the current 48-team format, characterizing the event as a significant success. He noted the high level of competitiveness displayed by participating nations from every continent.
“A tournament with 48 nations has been exceptionally successful,” the FIFA chief stated. “All teams have shown a high level of play. Nations from every continent have scored goals and managed to secure at least one point.”
Infantino also specifically commended the performance of African teams at the 2026 World Cup.
He pointed out that nine out of the ten continental representatives managed to advance to the knockout stage, demonstrating strong global participation. The discussion regarding the format adjustment suggests a post-tournament evaluation period for FIFA. While the expansion to 64 nations remains a possibility under review by Infantino, the current structure has been acknowledged for its successful execution and the broad international engagement it fostered among the participating nations.
Topics: #nations #infantino #world
