Gianni Infantino discusses trophy ceremony plans and potential future expansion of the World Cup

FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that he maintains daily communication with U.S. President Donald Trump and expects them to jointly present the trophy at the 2026 World Cup final. Infantino addressed the absence of the U.S. President from stadiums, attributing it to his heavy schedule rather than security concerns, and praised the cooperation with the American government. Furthermore, Infantino revealed that FIFA is considering a further expansion of the tournament to 64 teams following the conclusion of the 2026 edition. The 2026 World Cup is currently the first to feature 48 teams, a change Infantino described as a major success that has improved the global quality of football. He suggested that a 64-team format could potentially simplify the group stage structure by allowing only the top two teams to advance. While the 2026 tournament includes 104 matches, an expansion to 64 teams would significantly increase the total number of games played.