No guarantee, but India has better chance to qualify if World Cup expanded to 64 teams, says Bhutia
Indian football legend Bhaichung Bhutia suggests that expanding the World Cup to 64 teams would improve India's qualification chances but warns it could dilute the tournament's overall quality. FIFA is currently considering the expansion proposal for future editions.
Why it matters
The debate reflects the tension between global inclusivity in sports and maintaining the competitive standard of elite international tournaments.
A 64-team football World Cup , which the international governing body FIFA is mulling, will give India a better chance to qualify for the showpiece but such a move could compromise the quality of the games, Indian legend Bhaichung Bhutia said.
An official proposal to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, from 48 in the 2026 edition, was put forward by South American governing body CONMEBOL in April last year.
FIFA has not taken a decision yet but its president Gianni Infantino recently said his organisation will examine the proposal after this World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Defending champions Argentina face Spain in the final on Sunday (July 19, 2026) in New York.
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