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CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez proposes expanding the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, aiming for a global celebration of football's 100th anniversary.
CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez has proposed an ambitious idea to mark the 100th anniversary of the FIFA World Cup in 2030: expanding the tournament to include 64 national teams. The proposal, initially introduced by a delegate from Uruguay last month, was reiterated during Domínguez's speech at the 80th CONMEBOL Congress.
"We are convinced that this centennial celebration will be unique—after all, 100 years only comes once," said Domínguez.
The 2030 World Cup will be hosted across six countries on three continents: Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina in South America, along with Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Uruguay, as the first-ever World Cup host in 1930, will stage one symbolic match to commemorate the milestone.
"That’s why we propose this anniversary be celebrated with 64 teams, simultaneously across three continents," Domínguez added.
The tournament in Qatar 2022 featured 32 teams, while the upcoming 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada will be the first to host 48 teams. If approved, this latest expansion would see the World Cup reach 64 teams and 128 matches.
For CONMEBOL, which has 10 member nations, the change would virtually guarantee qualification for all—including Venezuela, the only South American country never to qualify for a World Cup.
"This will allow all countries to experience a global event, ensuring no one is left out of the celebration," Domínguez emphasized.
However, not everyone is on board. UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has already voiced his opposition, labeling the 64-team format a "bad idea." Critics argue that such expansion could dilute the quality of the tournament and disrupt competitive balance, especially in the qualifying stages.