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CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez stated on social media that the 2030 World Cup will be expanded to an unprecedented 64-team tournament. The bold statement follows Gianni Infantino’s confirmation that FIFA plans to evaluate further expansion after the groundbreaking 48-team 2026 edition in North America.
The claim of the South American boss
CONMEBOL president Domínguez sparked widespread speculation after claiming on social media that the 2030 World Cup will feature 64 participating nations. The centenary edition is scheduled to be co-hosted by Spain, Morocco and Portugal, along with three inaugural ceremonial matches in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. This explosive statement came shortly after the 2026 tournament in North America successfully debuted in a 48-team format, which concluded with Spain crowned champions.
Leaders address tournament growth
In a post on platform
Although there has been no official confirmation from FIFA in this regard, President Infantino has previously indicated his willingness to evaluate further expansion. Speaking to the Swiss broadcaster blue sportInfantino said: “This is undoubtedly an issue that will be analyzed and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup.
“When you organize a World Cup, it is important that you organize it for everyone. It is not just Europe and South America, but the entire world, effectively. Every nation should be able to dream of participating in the World Cup.
“We can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high and increasing all over the world. If smaller countries are not given the opportunity to participate in the World Cup, they also lose the incentive to continue improving.”
Format changes alter the calendar
The proposal to organize a 64-team World Cup would completely overhaul the structure of the tournament by including 128 matches, double the total format of the 32-team classic. This system would likely divide the opening phase into 16 groups of four, raising the group stage match schedule from 72 to 96 matches. Extending the competition to six weeks risks increasing calendar friction with clubs as players would have to commit up to two full months, including pre-tournament preparations.
FIFA weighs obstacles to expansion
FIFA’s governing bodies plan to convene a series of internal committee meetings to comprehensively assess the feasibility of the proposed expansion. The world football authority faces a delicate balancing act between the commercialization of tournaments and a fierce backlash from players’ unions and clubs over athletes’ workloads. A final verdict on the competition format is expected to be formally announced at the next FIFA Congress.
