64‑team World Cup proposal would have added dozens of debut nations

A proposed expansion of the FIFA World Cup from 48 to 64 teams would have opened qualification for many countries that have never appeared in the tournament. Under such a format nations such as the United Arab Emirates, Denmark, Gabon, Venezuela, Poland, Peru, Bolivia, Nigeria, Jamaica, Suriname, Kosovo, Ukraine, Oman and Costa Rica would have qualified, alongside traditional participants like Italy, Cameroon and Argentina.

The discussion also reflects on the historical rarity of back‑to‑back World Cup titles. Italy won consecutively in 1934 and 1938 under Mussolini, and Brazil achieved the feat in 1958‑1962. No other nation has repeated the achievement since, and analysts suggest the pressure of defending a title could be especially heavy for Argentina heading into the 2026 tournament.