The deep divide within FIFA’s leadership has been cast into sharp relief over the proposal for a 64-team World Cup. What is a matter of diplomatic discussion for President Gianni Infantino is, in the words of his own vice-president Aleksander Ceferin, a “bad idea.” This fundamental disagreement highlights the internal tensions surrounding the future of football’s biggest prize.
Infantino recently met with a delegation of South American leaders in New York to formally hear their pitch for an expanded 2030 tournament. This act of diplomacy acknowledged the proposal from a key confederation, Conmebol, which sees the expansion as a path to greater global influence and guaranteed participation for its members.
However, this diplomatic overture has not been matched by any enthusiasm from FIFA’s core decision-making body. The FIFA Council is reportedly united in its opposition. An insider stated that the prevailing view is that a 64-team format would be a disaster, flooding the tournament with uncompetitive teams and harming its prestige.
This opposition is not just a behind-the-scenes sentiment. It has been publicly and forcefully articulated by Ceferin and another influential vice-president, Victor Montagliani of Concacaf. Their public rejection of the idea creates a powerful counter-narrative to Infantino’s open-door approach, signaling a clear lack of consensus at the top.
The result is that the 64-team proposal is effectively stalled. Despite the presidential meeting, the powerful council and its key members have made their position clear. In the battle of ideas within FIFA, the “bad idea” verdict is currently winning.