World Cup 2030 set to expand to 64 teams as CONMEBOL president confirms landmark plan

Alejandro Domínguez, the president of CONMEBOL, has officially confirmed that the 2030 FIFA World Cup is likely to feature 64 national teams. The announcement marks a radical shift in tournament format, just as football prepares to celebrate the centenary of the very first World Cup. "The next match will be at home! In 2030 the World Cup will take place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. It's a great opportunity for football – to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the World Cup with a 64-team tournament," Domínguez wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Scheduled from June 8 to July 21, the 2030 edition will be held across six nations: Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. This unprecedented arrangement spans three continents, making it the most geographically diverse World Cup in history. FIFA president Gianni Infantino had previously hinted that after expanding to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament, further growth was on the table. Yet the latest proposal has already sparked fierce opposition from UEFA. The European football body’s president, sources say, is deeply unhappy with the idea, and the expansion plan has become a major sticking point in relations between FIFA and UEFA. While no formal vote has been taken by FIFA, Domínguez’s statement suggests the momentum toward a 64-team World Cup is building fast.