President Conmebol makes official proposals to expand the men’s 2030 World Cup to 64 teams

Buenos Aires: Alejandro Dominguez, president of Conmebol, the South American football ruling body, made a formal proposal on Thursday to expand the men’s 2030 World Cup from 32 teams to 64.

FIFA realized that the proposal was proposed in March last year by a representative from Uruguay at the online meeting of the ruling committee of the world football ruling body.

“We firmly believe that the centenary celebration will be unique because it will be celebrated only 100 years,” Dominguez said in his opening speech at the 80th General Congress of Conmebol.

The 2030 World Cup football match will be the largest version, with six host countries spreading across three continents.

Uruguay was the original World Cup host in 1930 and planned to play in the first match. Paraguay, Argentina, Spain, Portugal and Morocco are also co-hosts.

“That’s why we first proposed this anniversary on three continents with 64 teams.”

Expanding to 64 teams could ensure that all 10 Conmebol members have a place in the larger tournament. Venezuela is the only one who has never been eligible for the World Cup.

Dominguez added: “This will give all countries the opportunity to live the world experience, so no one on the planet is excluded from the party.”

If FIFA approves the move, it will create a 128-game match, which is the number of 64-game formats played from 1998 to 2022.

However, UEFA President Aleksanderčeferin called the 64 teams a “bad idea”.

Critics of the 64-team proposals believe it will undermine the quality of the game on most continents and devalue the eligible program.