SOCCER: Potential World Cup expansion to be discussed after 2026 edition - Infantino

ATLANTA — FIFA President Gianni Infantino said any decision to further expand the FIFA World Cup to 64 teams will be discussed only after the conclusion of the 2026 tournament, which is being held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

The 2026 World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams, an expansion from the previous 32-team format. While the move drew heavy criticism when it was announced, debate has largely subsided since the tournament began on June 11.

Speaking to Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport, Infantino said FIFA will evaluate the possibility of further expansion after the tournament but did not provide any details.

He emphasized that the World Cup should serve the entire global football community, not just traditional powerhouses in Europe and South America.

According to Infantino, every nation should have the opportunity to dream of qualifying for the World Cup, adding that giving smaller countries a place on the world stage encourages them to continue developing their football programs.

Infantino also praised the quality of competition at the expanded tournament, saying teams from every continent have remained competitive, scored goals, and earned points throughout the event.

He highlighted Africa's strong performance, noting that nine of the continent's 10 participating teams advanced to the knockout stage. By comparison, only five African teams competed in the previous World Cup, which featured 32 nations.

The World Cup was last expanded in 1998, when the tournament grew from 24 to 32 teams. The 2030 edition will be co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, while Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 tournament.

Infantino defends cooling breaks and ticket prices

Infantino also defended FIFA's use of hydration breaks during matches played in high temperatures, rejecting criticism that the pauses primarily benefit television broadcasters by creating additional advertising opportunities.

He explained that cooling breaks were introduced during last year's Club World Cup in the United States only when weather conditions made them necessary. As a result, some matches included breaks while others did not, depending on the temperature.

Infantino said FIFA received complaints from teams and fans who believed all matches should be played under the same conditions, but stressed that player welfare remains the priority when extreme heat is a factor.

He also defended the tournament's ticket prices, pointing to nearly full stadiums throughout the competition.

According to Infantino, stadium attendance has reached 99.7% of capacity and is expected to climb even higher before the tournament concludes. He said FIFA relied on pricing recommendations from its experts before the competition began.

Infantino added that tickets are being resold on the secondary market for four to five times their original prices, suggesting demand has remained exceptionally strong.

He said FIFA expects the 39-day tournament to generate between 13 billion and 14 billion Swiss francs (approximately $16.08 billion to $17.32 billion) in revenue, describing the financial outlook as highly satisfactory. -Writing by Mark Gleeson in Atlanta; Editing by Clare Fallon/Reuters