QuickCheck: Has FIFA confirmed it will expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams?

A claim circulating about expanding the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams has been addressed in a fact-check, which says FIFA has not confirmed the change. The proposal to add 16 teams beyond the current 48-team format has been discussed since a FIFA Council meeting last year, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino reiterated on July 12 that it will be examined after the 2026 tournament ends. He described the 48-team setup used for the first time in 2026 across the United States, Canada and Mexico as a “huge success,” citing participation across continents and a strong African showing. The expansion idea was first raised by Uruguay’s federation head Ignacio Alonso in March 2025 and was later championed by CONMEBOL, which formally proposed it in April 2025. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and the AFC’s Sheikh Salman have publicly criticized it, while no imminent FIFA decision is expected.