Morocco, Spain, Portugal set to host bigger 2030 World Cup as FIFA eyes expansion

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has hinted that Morocco, Portugal and Spain could host a much larger 2030 FIFA World Cup than originally planned.

Speaking to Swiss media outlet Bluewin, Infantino said FIFA will evaluate increasing the competition from the 48-team format that debuts in 2026 to 64 teams after the next World Cup.

The proposed expansion could significantly alter plans for the centenary edition of the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain.

Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay are currently scheduled to host one opening match each before the tournament shifts to Europe and North Africa.

However, a 64-team tournament could give the three South American nations a much bigger role, with reports suggesting they could host entire four-team groups instead of staging only the opening fixtures.

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Infantino defended the proposal, saying the World Cup should represent the entire globe rather than only football's traditional powerhouses.

"When organising a World Cup, it's important to organise it for the whole world, not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world.

"Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup. The quality of teams is extremely high and continues to improve across the globe. If you don't give smaller countries a chance to participate, they'll lack the incentive to keep improving," he said.

The World Cup featured 32 teams from 1998 to 2022 before expanding to 48 teams for the 2026 edition, which will consist of 104 matches.

Infantino described the expanded format as a success, highlighting the improved performances of teams from outside Europe's traditional football powers.

He noted that nine of Africa's 10 representatives reached the knockout stage, compared with five African teams at the previous tournament.

"Every team played at a high level. Teams from every continent scored goals and earned at least one point. Nine out of 10 African teams reached the knockout stage. At the last World Cup, there were only five teams from Africa. That shows how important it is to include more teams and allow them to participate," he said.