FIFA Considers Expanding World Cup to 64 Teams as US Hosts

FIFA Floats a Bigger World Cup

FIFA is exploring a dramatic expansion of the World Cup format, potentially growing the tournament from 48 teams to 64, according to reporting by Fox News. The proposal would represent the most significant structural change to the competition in its history, and it has immediately raised a pointed question: should the United States be locked in as a permanent or long-term host to make such a format workable?

The current 48-team format was itself a major step up, adopted for the 2026 tournament that the US, Canada, and Mexico are jointly hosting. Moving to 64 teams would mean dozens more matches, far greater logistical demands, and a host nation with enormous infrastructure capacity. The US, with its sprawling network of NFL stadiums, major airports, and hotel inventory, sits at the top of any realistic shortlist.

Why 64 Teams Changes Everything

A 64-team World Cup would be a massive undertaking. At the 32-team format used through 2022, the tournament ran 64 matches over roughly a month. A 48-team bracket added games and complexity. Jumping to 64 would push the match count well beyond 100 and require a host country, or group of countries, capable of absorbing that scale without compromising the product on the pitch.

Critics of further expansion argue that quality already gets diluted as more nations qualify. The gap between established footballing powers and smaller qualifying nations can produce lopsided early-round results that test casual viewers' patience. Adding another tier of teams, the argument goes, risks turning the group stage into a series of mismatches before the knockout rounds deliver the drama fans expect.

Proponents counter that broader inclusion strengthens the global game. More nations competing means more investment in youth academies, coaching infrastructure, and domestic leagues across Africa, Asia, and the Americas. FIFA has long leaned toward the growth argument, and the financial upside of more matches and more participating markets is not a small consideration.

The Case for a Permanent US Host Role

The United States brings a specific set of assets that no other single country can currently match. It has dozens of stadiums with capacities above 60,000, a mature sports business ecosystem, and proven experience running large-scale international events. The 2026 World Cup will put that infrastructure through a real-world stress test, and if the tournament runs smoothly, it will strengthen the argument for keeping the US in a recurring host role.

There is also a commercial logic. The American sports media market is the largest in the world. Locking the US into a permanent or rotating host arrangement guarantees FIFA access to that market's broadcast and sponsorship revenue on a predictable schedule. For a governing body that funds global football development through World Cup proceeds, that kind of financial stability matters.

On the other side, football's global identity is tied partly to the World Cup traveling to different regions. Brazil in 2014, Russia in 2018, Qatar in 2022, and the upcoming editions in 2026 and 2030 each brought the tournament to new audiences and carried regional significance. A permanent US host arrangement, however commercially attractive, would strip that rotating character from the event and draw criticism from confederations in Europe, South America, and Africa that see hosting rights as a point of pride and economic opportunity.

What Comes Next

FIFA has not announced a formal vote or timeline on the 64-team proposal. The 2026 tournament, which will serve as the first real test of the expanded 48-team model across North America, is likely to inform any decisions about going further. Attendance figures, broadcast ratings, logistical performance, and the quality of play on the field will all factor into whether football's governing body pushes ahead with another round of expansion.

For now, the discussion reflects FIFA's broader trajectory under its current leadership: bigger tournaments, broader participation, and an eye on markets where football's commercial ceiling is still rising. Whether 64 teams ever becomes reality, and whether the US ends up as a fixture on the hosting calendar, will depend on how 2026 unfolds and how much appetite member federations have for continued growth.