CONMEBOL President Declares 2030 World Cup Will Feature 64 Teams

CONMEBOL’s Alejandro Dominguez claims the 2030 World Cup will expand to 64 teams. FIFA to evaluate the proposal after the 2026 tournament.

CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez has made an eye-catching announcement regarding the 2030 World Cup, claiming on social media that it will see an unprecedented expansion to 64 teams. His comments add fuel to the speculation surrounding the future of the tournament, following FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s hints at potential further expansions after the 48-team format debut at the 2026 event in North America.

Dominguez’s assertion generated excitement across football communities, particularly because the centenary edition is set to be co-hosted by Spain, Morocco, and Portugal, alongside three ceremonial opening matches slated for Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. “In 2030, the World Cup comes to Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, a great opportunity for football, to celebrate the World Cup Centenary with a 64-team tournament,” he declared in a post on platform X.

While no official confirmation has been made from FIFA regarding this dramatic expansion, Infantino had previously hinted at a willingness to explore the possibility. Speaking with Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport, he stated, “This is certainly an issue that will be looked at and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup. When you organise a World Cup, it’s important that you organise it for the whole world. It’s not just Europe and South America, but the entire world, effectively. Every nation should be able to dream of taking part in the World Cup.” Infantino emphasized that as football evolves, smaller nations must be given the opportunity to compete at the highest level, arguing that it fuels development in those countries.

The proposal for a 64-team format would significantly revamp the tournament structure, increasing the number of matches to a staggering 128—double that of the classic 32-team setup. This shift could entail dividing the opening phase into 16 groups of four teams, escalating the group-stage matches from 72 to 96. However, such an expansion could also lead to complications with scheduling, potentially extending the tournament duration to six weeks and demanding players’ commitments for up to two full months, including pre-tournament preparations.

FIFA’s governing bodies are gearing up for a series of committee meetings aimed at thoroughly assessing the feasibility of Dominguez’s proposal. The organization now faces the complex task of balancing the commercial aspects of the tournament with concerns regarding the workload on players, as unions and clubs express reservations about the extended commitments required. A definitive announcement regarding the competition format will be forthcoming from FIFA at an upcoming Congress.