UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin Criticizes FIFA's Proposal for Expanded 2030 World Cup

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has strongly opposed FIFA's consideration of expanding the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, calling it "a bad idea." The proposal, which emerged unexpectedly at a FIFA Council meeting in March, has sparked debate over the potential impact on the tournament's quality and the global qualification process.

The 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will already see an increase from 32 to 48 teams. However, Uruguayan football federation president Ignacio Alonso suggested adding another 16 teams for the 2030 edition. FIFA has acknowledged its "duty to analyze" the idea, though Čeferin expressed frustration at the lack of prior consultation with UEFA.

"It was maybe even more surprising for me than for you," Čeferin remarked during UEFA's congress in Belgrade. "I think it's a bad idea. It's not beneficial for the World Cup itself, nor for our qualifiers. I don't support it, and it's strange that we weren’t informed before it was brought up at the FIFA Council."

The 2030 World Cup is already set to be a unique edition, spanning three continents. Spain, Portugal, and Morocco will serve as the primary hosts, while Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay will each host a single match to commemorate the centenary of the first World Cup, held in Uruguay in 1930.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has historically supported tournament expansions as a way to promote global football development and increase revenue, has yet to make an official statement on the potential 64-team format. Critics argue that such an expansion could dilute the competition's quality and devalue the significance of the qualification process.

UEFA currently holds 16 spots in the 2026 World Cup and has adjusted its European qualifying system accordingly. Čeferin suggested that further expansion could disrupt these newly established structures and weaken the overall prestige of the tournament.

FIFA has not specified a timeline for making a decision on the proposal, but the topic may be discussed further at FIFA’s annual congress in May in Asunción, Paraguay. For now, UEFA remains firmly opposed, with Čeferin making it clear that any changes to the World Cup format should involve broader consultation among stakeholders before being considered.

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