Carragher: I was involved in discussions about holding the World Cup every two years, but I didn't pursue that further.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher revealed that he had held private meetings with FIFA officials and former players to discuss the proposal to hold the World Cup every two years.

Carragher rejected FIFA's request for him to publicly support changing the World Cup to a biennial event. Carragher revealed that he had discussed the proposal with former Arsenal manager and current FIFA Director of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger, as well as several former players.

This summer's World Cup was held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with European champions Spain lifting the trophy for the first time in 16 years. De la Fuente's team defeated Argentina 1-0 in the final at New Jersey Stadium in New York, with Ferran Torres scoring the winning goal.

The next World Cup is scheduled for 2030, co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and defending champions Spain. However, Carragher revealed that discussions have already taken place regarding shortening the tournament's duration.

Carragher said on the Football Ramble podcast that he participated in the discussions but did not pursue the matter further. He said that he was later messaged asking him to publicly endorse the proposal, which he immediately refused.

Carragher said: "I spoke with Wenger for a bit. He was working with FIFA at the time, and the topic was all about the World Cup being held every two years. He said, 'I'd like you to participate in another conference call and talk to other former players about their future ideas.' I thought, 'Great, that's wonderful.'"

"We joined this Zoom meeting, and it wasn't just England players. There were players like [Javier] Mascherano, and former players from all over the world. Everyone was basically talking about the benefits of holding the World Cup every two years. I was listening and asking questions. I didn't like the idea."

“After the Zoom session, I didn’t say I didn’t like it or that it shouldn’t have happened. I just talked to these former players. Then the person who organized the Zoom session texted me and said, ‘Okay, can you post this?’—that is, support it. I said, ‘No, no, no.’”

"Just the fact that I participated in that Zoom... I don't agree with it, and I don't want to support it. I think it's ridiculous. It feels like, 'Since you're already here with us, you're in this Zoom, we're all former players, we're all in this together.'"

“That’s what I saw from Wenger and his superior Infantino, bringing in so many former players as if to say, ‘This makes us look okay.’ Half of these former players didn’t care at all. Knowing this, I thought, ‘I don’t accept this at all.’”

These proposals have not made significant progress so far, but the World Cup format was adjusted for the first time this summer, with the 2026 World Cup expanding to 48 teams and adding a knockout round.

Further reports indicate that FIFA is considering going even further, with the 2030 World Cup potentially expanding to 64 teams. That tournament would also mark the 100th anniversary of the World Cup.

UEFA and CONCACAF both oppose the idea, but CONMEBOL President Dominguez remains a staunch supporter. The 2030 World Cup will also be held in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay to commemorate the centenary.