“More games, more excitement, and more teams”—this is how FIFA described the expansion of the 2026 World Cup from the original 32 to 48 teams. Eyebrows were raised by many over the soccer federation’s plans to conduct over 104 matches and add another knockout round. And guess what? Just as the soccer world began to digest this initial expansion, the Gianni Infantino-led organization entertained another bold idea!

How does a 64-team World Cup sound? Yes, you heard it right. Same World Cup, same Golden trophy, but with extra teams, 16 to be precise. At least Spanish outlet Diario Olé says so, reporting that FIFA is seriously considering this historic expansion on the occasion of celebrating 100 years since the First World Cup.

Notably, the talk regarding this mega expansion has been happening for a while. And it’s mostly the South American federation CONMEBOL pressing FIFA to carry forward with this decision. Heck, on Tuesday, their president, Alejandro Dominguez, met Gianni Infantino in New York to vocally present their case of wanting more games and more teams in the tournament.

In May, Domínguez stated in a meeting that “no one should be left out” of the 2030 World Cup, adding that staging as many matches as possible on South American soil would help mark the centenary in grand style. It’s worth noting the idea isn’t entirely new either, as Uruguay FA president Ignacio Alonso had already floated the proposal during a FIFA Council meeting in March.

To recall, Uruguay was the one that hosted the first-ever World Cup in 1930 with 13 teams. And little does this prestigious tournament return to La Celeste for its 2030 edition, where they will host one of the opening three matches alongside Argentina and Paraguay, while the rest of the tournament will take place in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.

Nevertheless, if the decision to expand the World Cup to 64 teams gets approved, this would increase participation and representation from around the globe. While the idea of seeing more nations compete on the world stage has excited some fans, it hasn’t sat well with many in the soccer community.

FIFA isn’t hearing the end of the 64-team World Cup prospect!

The discussion quickly garnered attention on X, where critics argued that more teams may lead to a diluted quality of play, longer schedules, and logistical challenges that could affect the tournament’s prestige. One supporter summed it up succinctly: “More teams means more money, but will it dilute the quality? The World Cup should be elite, not inclusive.” Factos!

There are concerns about the upcoming 2026 edition, which is set to kick off within nine months and will be jointly co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada. Now, as if the biggest ever World Cup with 48 teams isn’t enough, the South American federation is hungry for more. “World Cup’s gonna feel more like a participation trophy than the pinnacle of football,” wrote another.

Many worry that adding dozens of lower-ranked teams could make the group stages less competitive and erode the tournament’s historic intensity. That’s precisely the kind of advice FIFA receives from the fans: “Nah, forget the 64 teams. They should focus on improving the quality first. We don’t want teams to get in just on luck. Besides, with 64 teams, the format is going to be all weird. It’ll feel like a World Cup video game!”

No wonder the quality-over-quantity factor led this netizen to make another hilarious comment saying, “64 teams? At this rate, FIFA’s gonna let your neighborhood 5-a-side team qualify just to fill the slots 💀⚽ #CashCup2030″

To recall, the announcement of the 2030 World Cup hosts sparked plenty of raised eyebrows over such an unconventional setup. Even France head coach Didier Deschamps weighed in on FIFA’s decision, stressing that the South American nations would enjoy a clear advantage over others. “I don’t know who makes the decisions, but I won’t hide from you the fact that I like things that are more coherent on a sporting and ethical level. I don’t think there is much coherence there,” said Deschamps.

Though one may question FIFA for even considering this decision, one should know that Gianni Infantino and Co., for its part, are obliged to hear out proposals from member associations even if a 64-team World Cup isn’t currently a priority for Infantino’s administration. Yet, that won’t stop fans from taking subtle digs at them: “100 years in, FIFA’s version of a birthday cake is adding twice as many candles and hoping no one notices the smoke.”

But for a moment, keep everything aside, and just imagine: what happens if it gets the green flag? If adopted, the change would mean nearly a third of FIFA’s 211 members reaching the finals, making qualification little more than a formality for the game’s strongest nations. So we hope you will look forward to a two-month World Cup tournament. And as far as the financial part is concerned, this fan had to say it anyway: “More teams means more money, not better football. FIFA’s priorities are clear as always.”

Be that as it may, this is just a glimpse of what you saw as thousands of fans expressed anger over FIFA for even pondering this call. At this point, we would also like to know your thoughts in the comments below!