America Eyes 2038 World Cup as FIFA Floats 64-Team Expansion

The Early Gambit: America Positions Itself for 2038

The ink has barely dried on the infrastructure plans for the 2026 World Cup co-hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, yet the conversation has already leapt forward by more than a decade. According to remarks attributed to Giuliani, the United States is signaling genuine interest in hosting the 2038 men's FIFA World Cup, a bid that would arrive against the backdrop of FIFA's most radical structural proposal in the tournament's near-century-long history: expanding the competition to 64 teams.

This is not idle speculation. The timing of the announcement is calculated. FIFA is in the process of stress-testing the limits of its own product, and the United States, flush with newly built stadiums, upgraded training facilities, and a commercial market that dwarfs every other candidate nation, sees an opening. The question is no longer whether America can host another World Cup so soon after 2026. The question is whether FIFA's proposed expansion makes a 2038 bid not just viable, but inevitable.

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A 64-Team World Cup: Structural Revolution or Dilution?

FIFA's exploration of a 64-team format represents the most dramatic format shift since the tournament expanded from 24 to 32 teams ahead of the 1998 World Cup in France. That move, controversial at the time, opened the door for nations across Africa, Asia, and the CONCACAF region to compete on the global stage. It was, in retrospect, a masterstroke that globalized the sport's appeal.

But a jump to 64 is a different beast entirely. The logistical implications alone are staggering. The current 48-team format, set to debut in 2026, already requires 104 matches across 16 host cities. Doubling the field to 64 would push that number toward 128 matches or beyond, depending on the group-stage structure FIFA adopts. The tournament window, currently squeezed into roughly 30 days, would either need to expand or the scheduling density would become punishing for players already stretched thin by an overcrowded club calendar.

The footballing quality argument cuts both ways. Proponents point to the magic of the World Cup: the unlikely run of Morocco to the semi-finals in 2022, the fairy tale of Iceland's Euro 2016 campaign, the raw emotion of smaller nations earning their place. A 64-team field would amplify those stories. Critics, however, worry about the group stages becoming bloated with mismatches. When Germany lost to Japan in Qatar or Argentina fell to Saudi Arabia, those shocks resonated precisely because they were rare. In a 64-team pool, the gap between the strongest and weakest sides widens, and the probability of truly meaningless group matches increases.

From a purely tactical standpoint, the expanded format would also force coaches to rethink squad management. With potentially seven or eight matches required to win the trophy, rotation becomes non-negotiable. The squads that thrive in a 64-team World Cup will be those built on deep benches and flexible tactical systems, not just eleven brilliant starters.

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Why the United States Is the Frontrunner

The commercial case for a US-hosted 2038 World Cup is overwhelming. The United States remains the world's largest untapped market for elite football viewership, and the 2026 tournament is already projected to generate record-breaking revenues. A second World Cup on American soil, just 12 years later, would lock in the commercial gains of the first tournament and convert casual viewers into a permanent audience base.

Infrastructure is the decisive advantage. The 2026 World Cup will utilize some of the most advanced stadiums in the world: SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, AT&T Stadium in Arlington. These venues were designed with multi-event flexibility in mind. By 2038, they will still be among the premier sporting arenas on the planet, requiring minimal renovation compared to what any other host candidate would need to invest.

There is also the matter of geography. The United States spans four time zones and can accommodate matches across a range of kickoff windows that serve European, Asian, and South American audiences. For FIFA, whose broadcasting deals are the financial engine of the tournament, this is not a minor consideration. It is the primary consideration.

Other potential bidders face significant headwinds. China, long seen as a future World Cup host, has retreated from its football investment ambitions amid economic uncertainty. Australia, which hosted a successful Women's World Cup in 2023, lacks the stadium infrastructure for a 64-team men's tournament without massive capital expenditure. A joint ASEAN bid from Southeast Asia remains possible but logistically complex. Nigeria and other African nations would be poetic choices following the continent's first World Cup in South Africa in 2010, but the infrastructure gap remains substantial.

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Tactical Shift: How Format Changes Reshape the Competition

Every expansion in World Cup history has triggered a corresponding tactical evolution. The shift from 16 to 24 teams in 1982 introduced more defensive variety. The move to 32 in 1998 rewarded squads with athletic depth. The upcoming 48-team format in 2026, with its novel group structure, is already forcing coaching staffs to model new preparation strategies.

A 64-team World Cup would accelerate this trend further. Consider the mathematics: with more teams in the group stage, the likelihood of playing opponents with vastly different tactical profiles increases. A squad might face a low-block African side in match one, a high-pressing European side in match two, and a technically gifted South American team in match three, all within a week. The coaches who succeed will be those who build positionally fluid systems, capable of shifting between a 4-3-3 pressing shape and a 3-5-2 mid-block without personnel changes.

The depth of the player pool becomes a structural advantage for nations with robust domestic leagues. The United States, with MLS now regularly producing players who compete in Europe's top five leagues, would benefit enormously from this dynamic on the pitch as well as off it.

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The Political Dimension

FIFA's decision on a 2038 host will not be made in a vacuum. The organization has increasingly intertwined its hosting decisions with broader geopolitical strategy. The 2034 World Cup, awarded to Saudi Arabia, was widely viewed as a politically influenced choice. A 2038 award to the United States would represent a counterbalance, a signal that FIFA's commercial core in Western markets remains its priority.

There is also the domestic US angle. Soccer in America is at an inflection point. The 2026 World Cup is expected to catalyze a generation of fans and players. A second World Cup in 2038 would transform that catalyst into a permanent cultural shift, embedding the sport into the American sporting landscape alongside the NFL, NBA, and MLB in a way that decades of MLS growth alone could not achieve.

"We believe the United States has the capacity, the passion, and the infrastructure to host the world again. This is about building a legacy, not just staging an event." — Remarks attributed to Giuliani on the potential bid.

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What Comes Next

The 2038 host selection is not imminent. FIFA typically awards hosting rights six to eight years in advance, meaning a formal bidding process would likely open around 2030 or 2031. But the groundwork is being laid now, and the United States is making its intentions clear before competitors have a chance to organize.

The 64-team proposal, meanwhile, will face resistance from European clubs and player unions who are already battling fixture congestion. The European Club Association and FIFPRO have both expressed concerns about the expanding calendar, and a doubling of the World Cup field would intensify those tensions.

For American football, the broader question is existential. Can the sport convert World Cup hosting into sustained domestic growth? The answer will depend not just on infrastructure and commercial deals, but on whether the tactical and competitive quality of a 64-team tournament can captivate a public still learning the nuances of the global game.

The opening move has been made. The board is wide open, and the United States has placed its pieces early.