The success of the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup has encouraged football's global governing body to consider an even larger tournament, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirming that the possibility of increasing the men's World Cup to 64 teams will be examined.
Infantino said internal discussions on the proposed expansion would begin after the conclusion of the 2026 edition, arguing that every country should have the opportunity to dream of appearing on football's biggest stage. If the idea becomes a reality in the next World Cup cycle or beyond, it could potentially improve India's chances of making its first appearance at the tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will introduce a new format with 48 participating teams, replacing the 32-team structure that had been in place since 1998. Infantino said FIFA would evaluate another expansion after the tournament concludes.
"This is certainly an issue that will be looked at and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup," FIFA's president told Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport when asked about the possibility of a 64-team tournament, as quoted by ESPN.
"When you organise a World Cup, it is important that you organise it for the whole world. It is not just Europe and South America, but the entire world, effectively. Every nation should be able to dream of taking part in the World Cup," the FIFA President added.
According to ESPN, discussions about a 64-team World Cup began gaining attention in March 2025 after South American football body CONMEBOL suggested expanding the 2030 edition, which will coincide with the competition's 100th anniversary.
"We can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high, and it is getting higher and higher everywhere in the world. If you do not give smaller countries the chance to participate in the World Cup, they also lose the incentive to keep improving," he added.
However, the proposal has also faced opposition. In April 2025, Concacaf president Victor Montagliani told ESPN, "I do not believe expanding the men's World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues and players."
A 64-team World Cup would dramatically increase the size of the competition. It would include 128 matches, twice the number played during the 32-team format used between 1998 and 2022. The 2026 tournament, under the 48-team structure, will feature 104 matches.
Although FIFA has not made any final decision, a further expansion could provide India with its strongest opportunity yet to qualify for the World Cup.
Under the 48-team format, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) received a significant boost, with its direct qualification places increasing from 4.5 to 8.5. If FIFA approves a 64-team tournament for the 2030 edition, 16 additional places would become available.
Historically, FIFA has distributed World Cup qualification slots across different confederations rather than allocating extra places to only one or two regions. If Asia receives a proportional share of the new positions, the AFC's allocation could rise to approximately 11 or 12 direct qualification spots.
The leading Asian football nations are expected to occupy many of those places, with Japan, South Korea, Iran, Australia and Saudi Arabia likely to compete for the top positions. Other teams such as Qatar, Iraq, Uzbekistan, the UAE and Jordan have also shown the ability to challenge for qualification.
For India to secure a possible 11th or 12th AFC spot, the Blue Tigers would need to consistently outperform teams including Oman, Bahrain, Syria, China, Vietnam and Thailand. Currently, India are positioned around 15th among Asia's strongest football nations.
Therefore, even if FIFA expands the World Cup to 64 teams, India's path to qualification would still require major improvements in performance, infrastructure and competitiveness against the continent's established football powers.
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