Overview

• CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez officially proposed expanding the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams during the organization's 80th Ordinary Congress on April 10, 2025.
• The expansion, intended as a one-time event to mark the tournament's centennial, would double the number of matches to 128, compared to the 64-game format used from 1998 to 2022.
• The 2030 World Cup is already set to be hosted across six nations and three continents, with the opening matches in South America and the bulk of the tournament in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.
• Critics, including UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, argue that expanding to 64 teams could weaken the quality of play and diminish the value of the qualification process.
• FIFA, which recently expanded the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams, is reviewing the proposal, with President Gianni Infantino emphasizing his support for broader global participation in football.