FIFA Pushes Forward with Plans for 64-Team World Cup

As the FIFA World Cup prepares to expand, reports indicate that the organization is accelerating efforts to increase the tournament to 64 teams. According to documents obtained by various outlets including the "Guardian," ESPN, and Sky News, FIFA is looking to assess the implications of such an expansion.

An independent firm is expected to be selected by August 14 to conduct a thorough analysis of the proposed enlargement. This company will then have four weeks to evaluate the potential impacts of the increased number of participating teams.

These developments come at a time when FIFA, under the leadership of President Gianni Infantino, is facing significant scrutiny over its plans to attract investors. The organization is considering a deal that could generate billions by selling a portion of its commercial rights related to the World Cup. To facilitate this initiative, FIFA plans to establish a subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). In response to these moves, UEFA, the European football governing body, has even threatened to boycott the World Cup.

The discussion about expanding the tournament was reignited during the upcoming World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which will be the first to feature 48 teams. Infantino stated that it is essential to consider further expansion after this World Cup, emphasizing that the tournament should be a dream for the entire world, not just for Europe and South America.

Alejandro Domínguez, the president of the South American Football Confederation, has voiced support for the initiative. The 2030 World Cup is set to feature opening matches in Uruguay (Montevideo), which hosted the inaugural World Cup a century ago in 1930, alongside Argentina (Buenos Aires) and Paraguay (Asunción). The majority of the tournament will then take place in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Currently, the tournament is scheduled from June 8 to July 21, making it the longest World Cup in history with a duration of 44 days.