Madrid, Spain – Press reports have revealed a trend within FIFA to study increasing the number of clubs participating in the Club World Cup starting from the 2029 edition. This is a move that could significantly reshape the competition system.
The first edition in the expanded format was held in the United States with the participation of 32 teams, including Al-Ahly of Egypt. This was an experiment that witnessed an unprecedented expansion at the tournament level.
According to the Spanish newspaper AS, FIFA is considering increasing the number of teams to 48. This would mirror the 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams for the first time, in a tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Regarding hosting, the report indicated that Morocco is leading the race to host the 2029 edition and may be the frontrunner to host the tournament outright, ahead of Spain, especially given the Spanish Football Federation’s efforts to host the European Under-21 Championship during the same period.
The picture is expected to become clearer in the coming period, both regarding the final number of teams and the identity of the host country, given FIFA’s clear intention to expand participation and increase global competitiveness.
