.png)
Plans to further expand the FIFA World Cup in 2030 are facing growing resistance, with CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani adding his voice to the chorus of opposition against CONMEBOL’s recent proposal to increase the number of participating teams to 64.
CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez formally presented the expansion idea last week, suggesting a leap from the already expanded 48-team format debuting in 2026. The proposed 2030 tournament would primarily be hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with the opening matches held in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay to mark the World Cup’s 100th anniversary.
But Montagliani isn't convinced.
“We haven’t even kicked off the new 48-team World Cup yet, so personally, I don’t think expanding to 64 teams should even be on the table,” he told ESPN. “It’s not the right move for the tournament itself, or for the broader football ecosystem — including clubs, leagues, and players.”
While CONCACAF hasn’t issued an official statement, Montagliani's comments echo concerns raised by other football leaders. UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin labeled the idea “a bad one,” arguing that such a dramatic expansion could negatively affect qualifiers and the competition's overall integrity.
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa also expressed skepticism, warning that unchecked growth could spiral out of control. “If we open the door to 64 teams, what stops someone from suggesting 132 next?” he said during the AFC Congress. “It would lead to chaos.”
FIFA has already approved a jump to 48 teams for the 2026 edition, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico — marking the biggest World Cup to date. Whether there's an appetite for another expansion just four years later remains to be seen.
As FIFA weighs its options ahead of the 2030 centennial event, pushback from major football powerbrokers may be enough to halt the 64-team plan in its tracks — at least for now.
Featured Image Credit: Unsplash / My Profit Tutor, Unsplash / Jay Pics
