Plans for a 64-team men’s World Cup are set to be assessed after the 2026 tournament, with Fifa boss Gianni Infantino saying the event needs to be “for the whole world”.

The proposal for an expanded tournament was put forward last year, and Infantino says the success of the expanded 48-team tournament means Fifa should look at how a 64-team World Cup could work.

“These are all issues that we will be examining after the World Cup,” Infantino told Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport, external when asked if the tournament could grow to 64 teams.

“When organising a World Cup, it’s important to organise it for the whole world – not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world. Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup.

“You can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high, and it’s getting higher and higher, all over the world. If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they’ll lack the incentive to keep improving.”

Infantino said that the first 48-team World Cup has been “a huge success”, citing the progression of nine out of 10 African teams to the knockout stages.

“At the last World Cup, there were only five teams from Africa,” he said. “That just goes to show how important it is to include all teams – to give them this opportunity to participate.”

The Fifa council approved the expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams in 2017.

An official proposal to boost the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams was put forward by South American governing body Conmebol in April 2025, but no decision has been reached.

The 2030 edition will be mainly co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with the three opening matches to be hosted by Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay to celebrate the centenary of the competition. Uruguay hosted the first World Cup, in 1930.

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin is among those to have dismissed the 64-team proposal, with the Slovenian saying it is a “bad idea” for both the tournament itself and the qualifying process.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa agreed, saying further expansion would bring “chaos”.

Victor Montagliani, president of the governing body for football in North and Central America and the Caribbean (Concacaf), said the suggestion “doesn’t feel right” and he believes the expansion would damage “the broader football ecosystem”.

However, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House’s World Cup task force, said the United States could consider making a bid to host the 2038 World Cup and would be able to “handle it” if expanded to 64 teams.

Fifa’s official position has always been it will discuss expansion ideas with stakeholders and it is duty bound to consider any proposals from council members.

The Fifa council would make the ultimate decision, but there are no signs it is something expected to happen imminently.

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress(ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has welcomed the federal government’s decision to suspend the proposed increase in registration fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination(WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council(NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination(SSCE), describing the move as a victory for Nigerian students, parents and civil society groups.

However, Atiku criticised the President Bola Tinubu administration for what he called a pattern of introducing unpopular policies without adequate consultation, saying Nigeria “is not a laboratory for reckless policy experiments.”

The federal government had on Monday suspended the proposed review of registration fees for the 2027 WASSCE, NECO SSCE, following widespread public criticism over the planned increase.

The decision was announced by the Federal Ministry of Education in a statement signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Boriowo Folasade, who said the June 18, 2026 letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment had been withdrawn to allow for broader consultations with stakeholders before any final decision is taken.

The ministry explained that the proposed increase was driven by rising costs associated with conducting credible national examinations but noted that the government remained committed to ensuring access to quality education through inclusive and evidence-based policymaking.

Reacting in a statement issued on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the government’s reversal vindicated his earlier warning that increasing examination fees would further widen educational inequality and deny many indigent students access to higher education.

“The suspension is welcome, but it also raises an uncomfortable question: why must this government always wait for public outrage before correcting policies that should never have been conceived in the first place?” he said.

According to the former vice president, governance should not be based on trial and error.

“Governing is not a laboratory for reckless experimentation. Sound governments consult before they decide, not after Nigerians have been subjected to needless anxiety and uncertainty,” he stated.

Atiku argued that the Tinubu administration had developed a pattern of announcing harsh policies with little consultation, only to reverse them after sustained public backlash.

“It is becoming a disturbing pattern. This administration announces harsh policies with little evidence of meaningful consultation, only to retreat when confronted by overwhelming public opposition. That is not responsive governance; it reflects poor policy formulation,” he said.

He added that effective leadership requires anticipating the consequences of public policies before implementation rather than relying on citizens’ protests to identify policy shortcomings.

“The purpose of leadership is to anticipate the consequences of public policy before it is implemented. A government that repeatedly relies on public resistance to discover its mistakes is admitting, whether intentionally or not, that it is disconnected from the daily realities of its citizens,” Atiku said.

The ADC presidential candidate warned that the proposed examination fee increase would have placed an additional financial burden on families already grappling with inflation, high transportation costs, rising electricity tariffs and declining purchasing power.

The Federal Government has suspended the recent hike of the fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, and the National Examinations Council, NECO, Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE.

The development follows backlash that trailed the increments.

The suspension was announced in a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade, on Monday.

According to the Federal Government, the June 18th, 2026 letter conveying the hike of WAEC and NECO fees has been withdrawn.

The government said the suspension was to give room for review and further engagement with stakeholders.

“The Ministry acknowledges the concerns and constructive feedback received from the public and appreciates the keen interest shown by Nigerians in matters relating to access to quality education.

“The proposed review was informed by the prevailing economic realities and the rising cost of conducting credible national examinations. The current examination registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite significant increases in operational costs, including logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance, and other essential services required to maintain the integrity and credibility of public examinations across the country.

“Nevertheless, the Honorable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, has directed that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the federal government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent, and evidence-based policymaking.

“This decision underscores the ministry’s determination to ensure that policies affecting millions of Nigerian students and their families are carefully considered, socially responsive, and reflect the collective interest of the nation.

“As part of the fresh review process, the ministry will further engage extensively with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents’ associations, organized labor, education stakeholders, and other critical partners to ensure that any future decision is fair, sustainable, transparent, and responsive to prevailing realities while safeguarding access to education.

“Accordingly, the proposed review of examination registration fees will not take effect, as earlier communicated, pending the conclusion of the consultation process.

“The Federal Ministry of Education reassures Nigerians that the welfare of students, equitable access to quality education, and responsible policy decisions remain at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the education sector.

“The ministry appreciates the understanding, patience, and continued support of all stakeholders and remains committed to keeping the public fully informed throughout the consultation process,” the statement released by the Ministry of Education said.