Key Takeaways:
- Fifa president Gianni Infantino urged stakeholders to maintain an “open mind” regarding the scheduling of future World Cups
- The international match calendar remains set until 2030, with upcoming tournaments scheduled in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia
- Infantino reiterated Fifa’s ambitions to grow the Club World Cup, following a record-breaking 32-team event held in the United States during a severe summer heatwave
Reconsidering World Cup Scheduling
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has called on the football community to remain receptive to revising the traditional World Cup schedule. Historically, football’s showpiece tournament has taken place during the summer months in the northern hemisphere. However, the 2022 edition in Qatar was staged in December to mitigate extreme heat, illustrating the increasing complexity of global event scheduling.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino wants football to keep an "open mind" about when World Cups are played. pic.twitter.com/f4dimbSH2e
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) October 9, 2025
Infantino stated, “We have summer and winter and in the world if you want to play at the same time everywhere you can play in March or in October.” He highlighted the climatic limitations: “In December you cannot play in one part of the world and in July you cannot play in another part.”
He further commented, “We need to consider all these elements and let’s see how we can make it better for everyone. Maybe there are ways we can optimise the calendar. We are discussing. We have to have an open mind.”
World Cup Host Nations and Calendar
The international football calendar is determined up to the year 2030. In 2026, the World Cup will be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with matches scheduled for June and July. The 2030 tournament will predominantly take place in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, while Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay are set to host select fixtures in recognition of the centenary anniversary of the inaugural World Cup, first staged and won by Uruguay. Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as hosts for the 2034 edition.
| Year | Hosts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | United States, Canada, Mexico | Matches to be held in June and July |
| 2030 | Morocco, Portugal, Spain | Centenary matches in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay |
| 2034 | Saudi Arabia | Future confirmed host |
Debate Over Club World Cup Expansion and Player Welfare
Infantino also discussed Fifa’s aspirations to further expand the Club World Cup. The latest iteration of the tournament featured 32 teams and was hosted by the United States during a summer heatwave, with temperatures in New York reaching a record 39C in June. This raised significant concerns among players’ unions and professional footballers over increased fixture congestion and the impact on player wellbeing.
Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Maheta Molango criticised the competition in July, stating that it was devaluing the sport. Chelsea secured victory over Paris St-Germain in New York to win the title.
Financial Ambitions and Global Reach
Addressing delegates at the European Football Clubs’ general assembly in Rome, Infantino stated: “When the Champions League was created the first revenue was 40m (euros), now it is 4bn (euros). If the first Club World Cup generated 2bn (euros) in 30 years we should generate 200bn (euros).
This has created revenues for the clubs. Now we work together to see how we can make it better, bigger and more impactful in collaboration with the clubs and stakeholders because it will benefit everyone.
I’m biased but it was a huge success from every possible angle. We had 2.5m spectators in the stadiums. We had an average [attendance] of 40,000 and only the Premier League is doing better.
There is interest in the entire world and we need the interest to boost the national leagues, the European and global competitions.”
