The proposal for a 64-team World Cup has been rejected by FIFA’s inner circle, not just on sporting grounds, but on fears that the tournament could become too big to succeed financially. A source within the organization revealed that a key reason for the opposition is the risk that an expanded format would “damage the business model” of football’s most prized asset.
South American football leaders formally pitched the idea for the 2030 centenary tournament to FIFA President Gianni Infantino in New York. Their vision was of a larger, more inclusive event that would greatly benefit their confederation by creating more qualification spots.
However, the business-minded members of the FIFA Council are deeply skeptical. The council, which must approve any format changes, believes that a 64-team tournament would be a commercial gamble. The concern is that a glut of uncompetitive, low-interest matches in the group stage could lead to lower TV ratings and less interest from sponsors, ultimately devaluing the entire product.
This financial concern is intertwined with the sporting one. As UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has noted, a drop in quality would inevitably have commercial consequences. The elite, high-stakes nature of the current World Cup is what makes it so commercially successful.
Having already committed to a 48-team format for 2026, FIFA is unwilling to take another, even bigger risk. The decision to shelve the 64-team proposal shows a commitment to protecting the tournament’s proven financial success from the potential negative impacts of over-expansion.