Could Infantino really push through a 64-team World Cup?

Could Infantino really push through a 64-team World Cup?Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Gianni Infantino was elected Fifa president on a manifesto that included increasing the size of the World CupByDale JohnsonFootball issues correspondentPublished2 minutes agoCommentsIf we have learned one thing from 10 years of Gianni Infantino as Fifa president, it is that more is better.More tournaments, more games, more money.The new-look Club World Cup, the expanded World Cup, the inflated ticket prices.And, of course, the Super Bowl-style show that meant the half-time break at the World Cup final lasted 27 minutes and 22 seconds.But why stop there? Infantino appears to have thrown the door wide open to a 64-team World Cup."If you don't give smaller countries a chance to participate, they'll lack the incentive to keep improving," he said.Except, of course, smaller countries are not denied the chance. If they are good enough, they qualify. See Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan.Purely in terms of the competition format, it does make sense. The top two teams in the 16 groups would go through to the knockout stage. No longer would there be a need to send a few third-placed teams through.But is there really any other logical reason to expand to 64 teams?Who is behind the proposed expansion?Let's start with how we got here.The 2030 World Cup will mark 100 years since the first World Cup, which was held in Uruguay.The tournament will primarily be hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain - but the opening three matches will be played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay as centenary hosts.Conmebol - the South American confederation - wants more games.In April 2025, it requested a one-off tournament of 64 teams so it could take on the full programme of the additional four groups.Its president, Alejandro Dominguez, said it would ensure "nobody on the planet is left out of the party".There has been little support from elsewhere.Uefa presid...