With 208 Teams, Even Italy Might Qualify. FIFA President Jokes, But Anything's Possible

Pulse Sports Team 21:09 - 12 June 2026

FIFA President Gianni Infantino light-heartedly suggested that a struggling Italy might qualify for the World Cup if the tournament expands to 64 participants. The four-time world champions have now failed to qualify for the final tournament for the third consecutive time.

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This year, Italy stumbled in the European play-offs, crashing out to Bosnia and Herzegovina after a penalty shootout. Consequently, they failed to qualify for the expanded 48-nation World Cup.

"We discussed expanding the championship to 64 teams, and we presented it to the FIFA Council. Perhaps Italy will qualify with 64 participants, or we could even go up to 208 teams," Infantino quipped during an interview with Brazilian television channel CazeTV before the World Cup's opening match.

Alejandro Dominguez, President of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), is pushing for a proposal to expand the tournament to 64 teams to mark the centenary of the inaugural World Cup edition.

However, Infantino is hesitant to rush into conclusions regarding the expansion of participants. "First, we'll see how this World Cup with 48 national teams plays out," the FIFA chief was quoted by AFP.