South Americans to step up pressure to expand 2030 World Cup to 64 teams
KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTS: The 2030 FIFA World Cup is still five years away, but already its structure is at the centre of increasing debate.
South America’s football federations, led by Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, are lobbying FIFA to expand the tournament finals from the current 48-team format to 64, arguing that the global growth of the game demands a broader stage.
The 2030 edition, which will commemorate the centenary of the first World Cup held in Uruguay in 1930, is already historic. For the first time, matches will be staged across multiple continents, with opening fixtures set for Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, before the bulk of the tournament shifts to Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Yet as the logistical complexities grow, so too does the political pressure.
South America’s governing body, CONMEBOL, insists that FIFA’s current plan underestimates the appetite for global participation.
“Football is bigger than ever,” said Alejandro Domínguez, CONMEBOL’s president, in a recent statement. “For the centenary World Cup, the competition must reflect the inclusiveness and diversity of our sport. A 64-team finals would honour 100 years of growth.”
The push comes at a time when FIFA has already just expanded the format. Next year the finals will feature 48 teams across central and north America, up from the modern traditional 32. That tournament will include 104 matches, with an additional knockout round introduced.
Expanding further to 64 teams would represent an even more radical break with tradition, potentially creating a tournament of 128 matches or more.
Critics argue that such a move would be reckless. Logistically, hosting dozens of additional matches across three continents would be a monumental challenge, stretching both resources and schedules. UEFA officials have expressed concerns privately, warning that player welfare, travel demands, and fan accessibility could suffer under such an expansion.
Proponents suggest that expansion would enable the South American nations to each stage an entire group before the finals shift back to Europe/North Africa. This would solve the prospective time difference conundrum.
There are also commercial considerations. FIFA’s broadcasting and sponsorship contracts are tied closely to the number of games and global audience size. More matches would generate greater revenues though too many fixtures could dampen the World Cup’s aura of exclusivity and prestige.
South American political and football leaders insist the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. They point to Africa and Asia, where football’s popularity is booming, yet representation remains limited.
A 64-team finals would guarantee more places for emerging nations, reducing the political tension that often accompanies World Cup qualifying.
“The centenary should be the most democratic tournament in history,” said Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentinian football federation.
Behind the scenes, FIFA is treading carefully. Sources close to the governing body suggest that president Gianni Infantino is open to discussion but wary of overcommitting. With the 2026 expansion still untested, FIFA may prefer to evaluate before making further adjustments.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has not taken sides, indicating that he is content to keep an open mind for the time being.
The debate is unlikely to subside. For South America, hosting the opening matches of the centenary edition is a point of pride but it is also seen as an opportunity to shape the tournament’s future. For FIFA, the challenge will be balancing inclusivity, commercial ambition, and practicality.
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