2030 World Cup: CONMEBOL proposes expanded 64-team tournament

Alejandro Domínguez, the president of South American soccer’s ruling body CONMEBOL, made an official proposal on Thursday to expand the men’s 2030 World Cup from 32 teams to 64.

FIFA is aware of the proposal that was first introduced in March by a delegate from Uruguay during an online meeting of the ruling council of world soccer’s governing body.

“We are convinced that the centennial celebration will be unique because 100 years are celebrated only once,” Domínguez said during his opening speech at CONMEBOL’s 80th Ordinary Congress.

The 2030 World Cup is already set to be the most sprawling edition with six host nations spread across three continents.

Uruguay was the original World Cup host in 1930 and is scheduled to stage one game. Paraguay, Argentina, Spain, Portugal and Morocco are also co-hosts.

“That is why we are proposing, for the first time, to hold this anniversary with 64 teams, on three continents simultaneously,” added Domínguez.

Expanding to 64 teams likely would guarantee all 10 CONMEBOL member countries a place in a bigger tournament. Venezuela is the only one that has never qualified for a World Cup.

“This will allow all countries to have the opportunity to live the world experience and so nobody on the planet is left out of the party,” added Domínguez.

If FIFA approves the move, it would create a tournament of 128 matches, double the number of the 64-game format that was played from 1998 through 2022.

However, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has called a 64-team World Cup “a bad idea.”

Critics of the 64-team proposal have argued it will weaken the quality of play and devalue the qualifying program in most continents.