FIFA president mocks Italy's World Cup absence, floats expanding tournament to 64 teams
Gianni Infantino used an interview after the 2026 World Cup opener to mock Italy's third consecutive failure to qualify, suggesting the Azzurri might only make it if the tournament expands to 208 teams.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino turned a discussion about the future of the World Cup into a public dig at Italy, drawing sharp criticism from Italian officials and fans. Speaking to Brazilian broadcaster CazéTV after the opening match in Mexico City, Infantino confirmed that the FIFA Council has already discussed expanding the men's tournament from 48 to 64 teams, but he first wants to evaluate the current format.
First of all, we need to see how this World Cup with 48 teams develops. It's already a huge event. We discussed a World Cup with 64 teams, with greater global participation. It's already been talked about within the FIFA Council, but let's make the most of this 48-team edition.
The jab at Italy
Infantino could not resist a barb at the expense of the Azzurri, who are missing the tournament for the third time in a row after a play-off loss to Bosnia. He laughed and told the cameras that Italy might finally qualify if the field grows to 64 — and joked it could even be expanded to 208 to see if they manage.
Maybe Italy will qualify with 64 teams. Who knows, maybe with 208.
The remarks immediately sparked a backlash on social media and in Italian politics. Gaetano Amato, a deputy from the Five Star Movement, said Infantino should remember he speaks as FIFA president, not as a fan at a bar counter, and that Italy's football federation helped him secure his position. He added that the nation is already ashamed of its decline without needing "cheap jokes" from the game's top administrator.
We are the first to be ashamed of the decline of our national team and the disaster Italian football finds itself in. We don't need his cheap jokes to notice. Mocking Italy is an exercise in rare pettiness.
Expansion plans and context
The idea of a 64-team World Cup was formally proposed by CONMEBOL in 2025 as a one-off for the 2030 centenary edition, which will be spread across three continents and six countries. Infantino's remarks confirm internal FIFA discussions on the topic, though no decision has been taken. The current 48-team format already grants more slots to smaller nations, bolstering the president's support base within the congress. The Italian team, led by coach Rino Gattuso, would have begun its campaign tonight against Canada had it qualified, but instead watches from home as the tournament unfolds.
