World Cup expansion debate rekindled as CONMEBOL eyes 64 teams
The South American football governing body, CONMEBOL, has renewed calls for the 2030 FIFA World Cup to be expanded to a record 64 teams, days after the conclusion of the first ever 48-team tournament.
CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez publicly backed the proposal, urging FIFA to adopt the enlarged format for the centenary edition of the World Cup which will mark 100 years since the inaugural tournament was held in Uruguay in 1930.
Dominguez made his appeal on social media, arguing that the historic nature of the 2030 competition presents a unique opportunity to allow more nations to participate in football’s biggest event.
“We are working to ensure that the 2030 World Cup is held with 64 national teams in homage to the Centenary of the World Cup.
“International football grows when it opens up to the world. The expansion to 48 teams demonstrated that greater participation generates more opportunities, boosts the development of football, and turns the World Cup into a true global celebration.
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“The Centenary offers us a historic opportunity to Dream Big. May the World Cup be the greatest celebration that football has ever known.” Dominguez wrote on his official X page on Tuesday.
The proposal comes despite FIFA only recently increasing the World Cup from 32 teams to 48 teams for the 2026 edition, a move that significantly expanded the tournament’s size and schedule.
A further increase to 64 teams would represent the biggest expansion in World Cup history and would require major changes to the competition’s format, qualification process and calendar.
FIFA has yet to respond publicly to CONMEBOL’s latest proposal, with the governing body expected to continue evaluating the long-term future of the men’s World Cup following the successful hosting of the 2026 tournament.
