Alejandro Domínguez, President of South American football confederation CONMEBOL, stated that the 2030 FIFA World Cup will feature 64 teams, representing a massive expansion following the 48-team format introduced in 2026.
Domínguez shared via his social media channels that expanding the participant field will allow the global football community to uniquely celebrate the 100th anniversary of the inaugural World Cup, hosted by Uruguay in 1930.
While the CONMEBOL chief spoke with certainty, FIFA has not officially announced or approved the expanded format. Any change to the number of qualified national teams requires formal approval from the FIFA Council and relevant governing bodies.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino previously acknowledged the proposal during the 2026 World Cup, noting that expanding the tournament to 64 teams would undergo thorough review and discussion following the competition, aligning with FIFA’s vision to grant greater international representation to emerging football nations.
Origins of the 64-Team World Cup Proposal
The expansion idea originated in March 2025, when Ignacio Alonso, President of the Uruguayan Football Association, presented the concept during a FIFA Council meeting. CONMEBOL later officially adopted the proposal as an exceptional format to celebrate the World Cup Centennial.
Infantino highlighted that expanding the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams in 2026 was a resounding success, emphasizing that nations across all continents scored goals, secured points, and demonstrated competitive strength. FIFA also reported record-breaking attendance exceeding 6.6 million spectators by the semifinals—achieving a 99.7% stadium occupancy rate alongside a higher goal average compared to Qatar 2022.
The majority of the 2030 World Cup matches will take place across Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, with Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay hosting three celebratory opening matches. This marks the first World Cup in history to span six countries across three continents.
