ZURICH: Embattled FIFA has formally initiated plans to explore expanding the FIFA World Cup to a mammoth 64-team format for its centennial edition in 2030, according to an internal briefing paper issued to research agencies.

The document, which circulated on Thursday, invites independent research firms to conduct an urgent feasibility study on the economic, operational, and competitive impacts of adding 16 more nations to the tournament. The rapid consultation comes just weeks after the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup in North America, which marked the debut of the 48-team, 104-match format.

Under the proposed timetable, interested agencies must submit tenders by August 7, with FIFA selecting a vendor on August 14. The final assessment is due on September 11, pointing toward a potential decision by FIFA’s Council before the end of the year.

The push to expand the competition stems largely from a proposal put forward by South America’s confederation, CONMEBOL. Ahead of the 100th anniversary of the inaugural 1930 tournament in Uruguay, CONMEBOL officials argued that expanding the field to 64 teams would allow a broader array of member nations to participate in the milestone celebrations.

In its brief, FIFA stated that the study must assess whether the proposed expansion can “strengthen the tournament proposition” and generate “sustainable incremental value.” The agency will be required to estimate total revenue gains across ticket sales, global broadcasting rights, and corporate sponsorships, while evaluating how various stakeholders—including clubs, domestic leagues, and broadcasters—view the potential shift.

If implemented, the 2030 World Cup—already slated to span six nations across three continents—would undergo unprecedented logistical scaling. Main co-hosts Spain, Portugal, and Morocco would carry the brunt of the fixtures, while anniversary matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay could see expanded group hosting roles.

The accelerated timetable has reignited intense friction between FIFA leadership, led by president Gianni Infantino, and regional governing bodies.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa have previously voiced staunch resistance to further expansion, warning of fixture congestion, player fatigue, and a dilution of competitive quality.

The leak of the research document also follows mounting pushback over FIFA’s broader commercial strategy, including controversial plans for a $20 billion tournament subsidiary that recently prompted UEFA to raise the prospect of boycotting future FIFA events.

European stakeholders maintain that doubling the World Cup’s historical 32-team size within an eight-year span threatens the integrity of qualification cycles and places unsustainable pressure on domestic calendars.

FIFA maintains that consumer research remains secondary to evaluating the long-term viability of the football ecosystem. However, with independent findings set for delivery in mid-September, the coming weeks will determine whether Infantino can secure the political consensus required to deliver the largest sporting event in history.

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