CONMEBOL chief claims 2030 World Cup will be expanded to record 64 teams
Quick summary
CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez claims the 2030 World Cup will be expanded from 48 to 64 teams, a decision he says FIFA has already taken.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceCONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez has shocked the sport by announcing the 2030 World Cup will be expanded to include 64 teams, rising from 48 in the 2026 edition.
While traditionally the World Cup had around 16 sides, expanding to 24 in 1982, then to 32 from 1998 onwards, the 2026 tournament was the biggest in history with 48 teams.
Biggest ever World Cup for 2030 MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JUNE 10: Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, speaks to the media during a FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Press Conference at Mexico City Stadium on June 10, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images) However, CONMEBOL chief Dominguez claimed via social media this evening that in order to celebrate the Centenary of the competition, the World Cup would involve 64 sides in 2030.
The tournament is already going to be a rather strange one , as it will have single matches hosted by Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, but ultimately be co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain.
Inevitably, if the competition is expanded to include 64 sides, that will affect the qualification process.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has already suggested the idea and said they will “be examining this after” the event in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
“When organising a World Cup, it’s important to organise it for the whole world – not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world. Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup.”
¡El próximo se juega en casa! En 2030 se viene el Mundial de Uruguay, Argentina y Paraguay, Una gran oportunidad para el fútbol, para celebrar el Centenario de la Copa del Mundo con una competencia con 64 equipos pic.twitter.com/ocIjHYCN5f
— Alejandro Domínguez (@agdws) July 20, 2026
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What happened
CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez has stated that the 2030 World Cup will feature 64 teams, up from the 48-team format that will be used for the first time at the 2026 tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Domínguez described the expansion as a 'done deal' and emphasized that more nations deserve the opportunity to participate in football's showpiece event. FIFA has not yet officially confirmed the change, but Domínguez's comments add momentum to the discussion around further tournament growth. The 2030 World Cup is unique as it will be hosted across three continents — Spain, Portugal, and Morocco as primary hosts, with Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay hosting centenary celebration matches.
Chance analysis
If confirmed, expanding to 64 teams would further dilute competitive quality but massively increase FIFA's commercial reach and the number of participating nations. The claim from the most powerful figure in South American football carries weight, though FIFA's silence suggests the decision is not yet finalized. This would affect qualification pathways globally, potentially giving more smaller nations a route to the World Cup while creating scheduling and format challenges for an already expanded tournament.
If confirmed, 64 teams would reshape 2030 World Cup qualification and tournament structure, increasing spots for all confederations and expanding the global field by a third.
A 64-team World Cup would significantly alter qualification odds and tournament format modeling for 2030, but treat the claim as unconfirmed until FIFA officially announces it.