Overview

• CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez officially proposed increasing the 2030 World Cup from 32 to 64 teams during the organization's 80th Ordinary Congress on April 10, 2025.
• The expansion is intended as a one-time gesture to celebrate the tournament's 100th anniversary and promote inclusivity across three continents and six host nations.
• If approved by FIFA, the expanded tournament would feature 128 matches, doubling the number from the traditional 64-game format played through 2022.
• The proposal could guarantee participation for all 10 CONMEBOL member nations, including Venezuela, which has never qualified for a World Cup.
• UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has criticized the proposal, citing concerns over the quality of play and the impact on the World Cup's structure and qualifiers.