Realistically the only way for the AWs to improve their ranking to like top 60 (so some chance of Pot C at the next World Cup), is being in a competitive tourney like the Gold Cup or new FIFA ASEAN Cup - and going deep in either of those tournies.
But hey a 64 team (16 pools of 4 teams) WC for 2030 is going to be examined by FIFA.
So hey we maybe we fall into Pot C for 2030, by getting our ranking low 70s??
Then draw Thailand from Pot D in Malaga, so get that yearned for first World Cup win without improving our ranking too much over the next 4 years.
Surely with 64 teams, the Azurri qualify!
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/a-64-team-fifa-world-cup-maybe-it-s-not-as-bad-an-idea-as-it-sounds-20260715-p60fgh.html
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/13/gianni-infantino-64-teams-expansion-comments-fifa-2030-world-cup
In the interview, Infantino said expanding the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams had been “100 percent” the right decision, describing the new format as a “huge success”.
But hey a 64 team (16 pools of 4 teams) WC for 2030 is going to be examined by FIFA.
So hey we maybe we fall into Pot C for 2030, by getting our ranking low 70s??
Then draw Thailand from Pot D in Malaga, so get that yearned for first World Cup win without improving our ranking too much over the next 4 years.
Surely with 64 teams, the Azurri qualify!
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/a-64-team-fifa-world-cup-maybe-it-s-not-as-bad-an-idea-as-it-sounds-20260715-p60fgh.html
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/13/gianni-infantino-64-teams-expansion-comments-fifa-2030-world-cup
In the interview, Infantino said expanding the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams had been “100 percent” the right decision, describing the new format as a “huge success”.
He argued the larger tournament had strengthened football globally, pointing to the performances of smaller football nations.
“Teams from every continent scored goals and earned at least one point,” Infantino said. “Nine out of 10 African teams reached the knockout stage. At the last World Cup, there were only five teams from Africa. That just goes to show how important it is to include all teams, to give them this opportunity to participate,” he added.
“Teams from every continent scored goals and earned at least one point,” Infantino said. “Nine out of 10 African teams reached the knockout stage. At the last World Cup, there were only five teams from Africa. That just goes to show how important it is to include all teams, to give them this opportunity to participate,” he added.
Asked whether the competition could eventually grow to 64 teams, Infantino said the proposal “will be examined and discussed”.
He said the global tournament should be organised “for the whole world” rather than only for football’s traditional powers, arguing that greater participation means better football.
“If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they’ll lack the incentive to keep improving,” he said.
What would a 64-team World Cup look like?
FIFA has not explained how a 64-team World Cup would be structured, but one option would be to return to the traditional format with a larger field.
FIFA has not explained how a 64-team World Cup would be structured, but one option would be to return to the traditional format with a larger field.
The tournament could feature 16 groups of four teams with each nation playing three group-stage matches. The top two teams from each group would then advance to a 32-team knockout stage.