FIFA has launched an accelerated tender process to examine the feasibility of expanding the men’s World Cup teams, starting with the 2030 tournament.
According to Reuters, World soccer’s governing body wants to appoint an independent agency to assess the ambitious expansion plan, which would add another 16 nations to a tournament that had already grown from 32 to 48 teams in 2026- a move that could reshape soccer’s showpiece tournament when it celebrates its centennial.
Key details of the fast-track study reveals that agencies have a narrow window to submit proposals, with a final selection set for August 14.
The chosen firm will be given only four weeks to deliver its findings by September 11, pointing toward a potential formal decision later this year.
South American confederation CONMEBOL had officially proposed hosting the 2030 World Cup with 64 teams last year, allowing more countries the opportunity to join in the celebrations for the tournament’s centennial edition.
The 2026 edition in the U.S., Canada and Mexico was the first since 1998 to move away from the 32-team format, adding four more groups and an extra knockout round in the process, resulting in 104 matches over more than five weeks.
The accelerated study comes as FIFA’s plan to create a $20-billion subsidiary to run the World Cup and its other events with external investors, a move that has attracted criticism and a UEFA decision to boycott FIFA events.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said last year that expanding the World Cup to 64 teams was not a good idea.
The European governing body’s position has not changed since then, while Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa had also voiced opposition, questioning last year where further expansion might end.
According to Reuters, FIFA’s proposed analysis is meant to assess whether the proposed expansion can strengthen the tournament or whether concerns such as competition dilution, calendar congestion, operational complexity and market saturation outweigh the potential benefits.
