“I absolutely make no sense”
Ex-national coach Löw criticizes the FIFA World Cup proposal
25.09.2025 – 8:23 amReading time: 2 min.
The upcoming World Cup takes place with 48 teams, FIFA can even imagine 64 teams in 2030. With Joachim Löw, this is incomprehensible.
A possible increase in the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams is provided internationally-and meets Joachim Löw for a clear rejection. The former national coach does not believe in the plans of FIFA.
“I see that completely critically from the perspective of a coach. 64 teams are completely overwhelmed,” said the 65-year-old at Nitro. A tournament with this size would take five to six weeks. Löw followed: “That doesn’t make any sense.”
Löw, who led the German national team to the World Cup title in 2014, also warned of an increasing burden on the players and a possible loss of quality. “The health of the players always comes first,” continued Löw.
Already at the upcoming World Cup 2026 in the USA, Canada and Mexico, in which 48 teams will take part, a decline in the sporting level is to be feared. A world championship lives from “high -class games,” said Löw – that’s exactly what the audience wanted to see.
FIFA has been dealing with a possible further expansion of the field of participants for months. So far, it is planned that a game will be played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay for the 100th anniversary of the World Cup. The other games are to take place in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
Background: According to FIFA, Uruguay brought in a corresponding proposal “spontaneously” in a Council session. Now the topic made headlines again after FIFA President Gianni Infantino in New York had met with association representatives and heads of state from South America. According to information from ESPN and the “New York Times”, the idea of an extension to 64 nations was also discussed. Especially from Europe, there had recently been clear criticism of the plans, including the German Football Association (DFB).