Introduction to the FIFA Congress
Although the FIFA Congress is taking place in Asuncion, the meeting is still shrouded in uncertainty regarding the future of the beautiful game. This is mainly due to the willingness of FIFA President Gianni Infantino to curry favor among the powers, who are supposed to align the next two world championships in the countries, especially with President Donald Trump from the United States, the main host of the tournament in 2026. It is also possible to discuss the world championship with 64 teams.
Decisions to be Made in the FIFA Congress
Checking the agenda for the meeting reveals that there are no major decisions to be made – at least none with real consequences. In addition to the annual and financial reports and the approval of the annual budget for 2025, only FIFA committees such as the disciplinary and ethics committee are to be elected for a new term. No major surprises or controversy are expected here.
Controversial Problems
Like the situation before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia, which is to organize the 2034 World Cup, is being criticized. Human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Fairsquare warn of risks for migrant workers on construction sites for the 2034 World Cup. They report numerous deaths through avoidable accidents and criticize the Saudi government for inadequate protection and compensation. Despite the planned FIFA standards, there are currently no concrete measures to prevent and investigate such incidents. Amnesty International also emphasizes the extreme exploitation of foreign workers.
The 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico
Infantino’s relationship with US President Trump is close. The Swiss native even speaks of a "close friendship" with the American president. Infantino has met Trump 10 times since December and was a guest in January. The United States will organize two important FIFA tournaments in a row with the Club World Championship this summer and the World Cup next summer. It is expected that the US President will use both events to present himself in the best possible light. However, he and Vice President JD Vance seem concerned about the large number of foreign guests visiting the country.
Border Policy and the 2026 World Cup
It remains to be seen to what extent the strict border policy of the Trump government will prevent fans from Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America from traveling to the United States. Recently, there have been alarming examples of Germans and other tourists who were originally interrogated during admission and were then arrested for some time even for no apparent reason. How will border and customs officials deal with World Cup fans in 2026 who travel from Iran to support their team? Or from Latin American countries such as El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, from which most illegal immigrants come to the United States?
Expansion of the World Cup to 64 Teams
A proposal for the further expansion of the World Cup tournament was proposed, which will include 48 teams in 2026 instead of the previous 32. The Association of Uruguay, one of the moderators of the 2030 World Cup, presented the proposal, which suggests playing with 64 teams. Some other FIFA members see the expansion as an opportunity to include more countries and increase the global reach of football. However, there are also critical voices, mainly from Europe, Asia, and North America, which argue that such a large event is too complex and difficult to organize. They also argue that the expansion of the number of participants reduces their sporting value.
Conclusion
The idea of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams remains on the table, despite criticism from some FIFA members. Gianni Infantino has not yet commented on the matter, but the bloated club World Championship with 32 teams, and the fact that the Women’s World Cup was increased to 48 teams at the last FIFA council meeting, could give signs of where it is heading. The FIFA Congress in Asuncion will likely shed more light on the future of the beautiful game, including the potential expansion of the World Cup and the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia.
