FIFA Hold Discussions About Radically Changing Format

According to reports, FIFA – the organisers of the World Cup – have held discussions about expanding the men’s edition of the international showpiece from 48 to 64 teams in 2030 after receiving a formal pitch from a delegation of influential South American leaders, which included heads of state from Paragauay and Uruguay. In response, football fans have taken to social media to spread their anger over the idea.

That aforementioned group of South American figures also included senior footballing executives from the South American confederation CONMEBOL, who are responsible for overseeing major tournaments such as the Copa America and Copa Libertadores, and the head of the Argentine Football Assocation (AFA).

FIFA president Gianni Infantino and general secretary Mattias Grafstrom, during meetings at FIFA’s New York City headquarters inside Trump Tower, have spoken with a number of football executives from South America about the potential changes moving forward. As things stand, further meetings related to the 2030 World Cup are set to happen over the course of the next week or so as they iron out the intricacies.

FIFA and Infantino Discuss 64-Team Format at 2030 World Cup

Amid the ever-growing excitement over next summer marking the return of World Cup action, the hosts for the 24th instalment of the competition in 2030 have already been announced. It’ll be played across three continents (Europe, Africa and South America) and delegates from the latter are hoping to see vast changes being made.

That, of course, includes the 64-team idea, which was first presented by Ignacio Alonso – the Uruguayan Football Association’s president – during a FIFA Council meeting in March, as reported by The New York Times. Many on the call were reportedly surprised by the idea; but FIFA has a duty to consider all proposals, no matter how big or small.

A month later, the president of South America’s CONMEBOL federation, Alejandro Dominguez, brought the one-off idea to CONMEBOL’s Congress as a means of marking the World Cup’s 100th anniversary. In May, at the FIFA Congress, Dominguez urged the footballing federation to consider the unique approach to celebrate a century since the first competition, which took place in Uruguay back in 1930.

“I would like to invite you to reflect together so we can do something that the world is waiting for, that the football community deserves. It is what football teaches us – to play as a team,” Dominguez said, per The Athletic. In response, Infantino said that the centenary World Cup deserves to be celebrated.

In recent decades, increases in the number of competing teams have been rare. In 1982, it was bumped up from 16 to 24; and then, 16 years later, it increased to a 32-strong format before the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will be the first to incorporate 36 teams.

News of 64 teams competing, which equates to north of 30 percent of FIFA’s 211 national teams, has not gone down well in the football echo chamber. Taking to X (formerly Twitter) in response to the potential changes, one fan wrote: “Done with international football if this happens,” as another said: “This would be a horrible idea.”

So far, FIFA have done a terrific job of keeping the World Cup legacy alive – but one strong-minded fan has suggested that upping the number of teams to 64, an idea that has not yet been put into motion, could ruin their reputation. “FIFA is on a mission to ruin the legacy of the World Cup,” they said as a fourth supporter concluded: “Didn’t know the game could be more gone than it already is but here we are!”