Italy's football federation reacts to FIFA President's controversial statement about increasing World Cup teams

The Italian Football Federation expressed dissatisfaction with FIFA President Gianni Infantino's statement regarding Italy's potential World Cup participation if the tournament were expanded to 64 or even 208 teams.

ANSA news agency reports that FIFA President Gianni Infantino sparked mixed reactions among Italian football fans with his latest comments on expanding the World Cup's number of teams.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino jokingly said that the Italian national team could secure a World Cup spot if the tournament were expanded from 48 to 64 teams in 2030. This remark came as Italy will again miss the 2026 World Cup, having also failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.

"Perhaps Italy would qualify for the World Cup if the tournament had 64 teams, or we could even increase it to 208 teams," Infantino stated.

ANSA also stated that FIGC (Italian Football Federation) considers Infantino's comments inappropriate. "It was an inappropriate remark, a lack of tact that hurt the feelings of the entire Italian sports community," a source from the Italian Football Federation said. In victory and defeat, football teaches values, "first and foremost respect," FIGC sources emphasized.

Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi expressed confusion over FIFA President's comments: "Since the distance between Italy and Mexico is very far, it's best to discuss over the phone to clarify, depending on his schedule. I want to hear his perspective directly."

The controversial remark, which quickly spread widely, was made by Infantino at the end of an interview with CazéTV, where he discussed the future of the World Cup and mentioned the possibility of expanding the number of participating teams from 48 to 64. This change has been discussed internally at FIFA. The head of world football said: "We need to analyze the performance of the current format before deciding on further expansion."

"First, we must see how the 48-team World Cup goes. This is already a very big event. We have discussed a 64-team World Cup with broader global participation. This has been discussed in the FIFA Council, but let's make the most of this 48-team World Cup," the FIFA President continued.

The idea of expanding the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams is being pushed by CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez to commemorate the tournament's 100th anniversary. The 2030 World Cup is scheduled to be hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with some matches taking place in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.

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