A 64-team World Cup is no longer a corridor rumour. Gianni Infantino, FIFA president since 2016, has thrown the door open to doubling the tournament from its 2018 size. The 2026 World Cup, already expanded from 32 to 48 teams, would become a staging post rather than a destination. For England and the Premier League the maths is blunt: more matches, less rest, and a calendar that is already stretched past breaking point.
What Infantino actually said
Infantino framed the idea around smaller nations: without expansion, they would never get their chance to play at a World Cup. The argument is not new. He was elected in 2016 on a manifesto that explicitly included increasing the size of the tournament, a promise delivered with 48 teams for 2026.
Ten years of his presidency can be summarised in three words: more is better. More tournaments, more games, more money. The revamped Club World Cup, the inflated ticket prices, and a Super Bowl-style half-time break at the World Cup final that ran to 27 minutes and 22 seconds.
What 64 teams would mean for England
A 64-team field would require an extra knockout round, pushing the winner’s route to roughly eight matches instead of seven. For England, a side that has reached the latter stages of recent major tournaments, that is additional load on players already juggling Champions League, Premier League and domestic cups.
There is an upside. A wider qualifying route would all but remove the risk of a major nation missing out. The trade-off is a diluted group stage, with more lopsided fixtures before the ties that genuinely decide anything.
The Premier League calendar problem
Premier League clubs would feel it twice: players away for longer during the tournament, then returning later and more fatigued for pre-season. With no winter break of any real length, recovery time simply does not exist in the English calendar.
Player unions and European leagues have already mounted legal challenges over FIFA’s calendar congestion. An even larger World Cup would turn that dispute into a direct confrontation rather than a negotiation.
A proposal still far from approved
No formal decision has been taken. The 64-team format has not been put to the FIFA Council for approval, and UEFA has voiced public reservations. At this stage it is a trial balloon, not a fixture list.
The 2026 tournament across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with 48 teams, will serve as the real-world test. If the commercial return satisfies FIFA, Infantino’s case for going further in 2030 gets considerably stronger.
FAQ
Will the 2026 World Cup have 64 teams?
No. The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico will be played with 48 teams. The 64-team idea concerns a later edition and has not been formally approved.
Why does Infantino want to expand the tournament?
His public argument is giving smaller federations a route into the competition. In practice, a larger tournament also means more matches, which means more broadcast rights and commercial revenue for FIFA.
How many games would the winners have to play?
A 64-team field would need an additional knockout round, taking the champions to around eight matches compared with seven in the 48-team format.
How would it affect Premier League players?
Longer absences during the tournament and a shorter pre-season on return. The cumulative match load raises injury risk, particularly for players also competing in European competition.
Does UEFA support the plan?
No. UEFA has publicly expressed reservations about expanding to 64 teams. There is currently no consensus among the confederations on the format.
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