2026 World Cup: Europe Dominates and Asks Infantino for More Spots for 2030

Gianni Infantino’s expanded 48-team World Cup is sparking debate. While the effort to give non-top-tier national teams a chance has been appreciated, it has also been clear that European national teams have proven to be a step ahead of all the others.

Just when things were heating up, African, Asian, and South American teams (with the exception of Argentina) fell apart, while the European teams showed they were on a higher level. It’s no coincidence that, among the four semifinalists, there are three teams from the Old Continent: France, Spain, and England.

Precisely for this reason, European soccer is ready to do everything possible to “force” Gianni Infantino, FIFA’s president, to increase the number of European teams that will be able to participate in the next World Cup, scheduled for 2030 in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco (with preliminary rounds in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay).

The current 16 spots are considered too few, especially given how Europe is dominating this World Cup as well. Of course, it also remains to be seen whether the 2030 World Cup will be expanded to 64 teams, as Gianni Infantino would like. In short, there will be discussions as soon as the 2026 World Cup concludes.