After UEFA, CONCACAF Opposes 64-Team World Cup Proposal

A plan was earlier put forward by South America’s governing body, CONMEBOL, for the expansion of the 2030 Men’s World Cup to 64 teams. However, this was not well received by others, as it drew opposition from UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and the Asian Football Confederation. Lately, joining the criticism, CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani has come forward, expressing his disapproval of the proposal.

The 2026 World Cup will be the first edition with 48 teams, and initially, it was 32 teams who got the chance to participate. And now, this has been proposed to expand to 64 for the tournament in 2030, which would be hosted by Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.

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CONMEBOL, who had proposed the new expansion, cited that they wanted to add more participants to mark the competition’s 100-year anniversary.

“At CONCACAF, we’ve shown that we are open to change by supporting the Women’s World Cup expansion and the continuous evolution of our Confederation’s men’s and women’s national team and club events,” Montagliani told ESPN.

“I don’t believe expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues, and players,” he added.

CONCACAF is the governing body of football in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin also expressed dissent for the proposal by Domínguez, labeling the thought of expansion a “bad idea.”

Critics stated that the potential downsides of expansion will affect the quality of the game by incorporating teams that are not ready for the global stage. And many games would also lead to constant fatigue and injuries to the players. Moreover, the infrastructure to accommodate 64 teams and scheduling might overwhelm the existing resources and timelines. Apart from this, it would also affect the schedules and player availability for club competitions as well.

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However, the decision has not yet been finalized. The proposal will now have to go through various approvals. The 48-team format is already set, and thus, any discussion on the 2030 edition would only resume after the 2026 tournament.