# Infantino's World Cup expansion plan reflects long-held ambition

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has long pursued expanding the World Cup, a goal now being formalized. The plan would significantly alter the tournament's format and schedule, impacting teams, fans, and the global football calendar.

**Importance:** 3/5

## Sources

### Sports
- [The Guardian Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/29/gianni-infantino-fifa-president-world-cup-commercial-rights-plan) — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 17:21:47 GMT

### World
- [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/7/30/infantino-insists-fifas-world-cup-plan-is-proposal-and-not-obligation?traffic_source=rss) — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 07:37:15 +0000
- [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/8/1/why-has-infantino-scrapped-fifas-world-cup-investment-plan-what-to-know?traffic_source=rss) — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 01:10:58 +0000