FIFA is studying a plan to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams. The idea comes as the tournament prepares to grow to 48 teams for the first time in 2026.
The proposal was first put forward by the Uruguayan Football Association in March. The plan is tied to the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup, which took place in Uruguay in 1930.
FIFA leaders recently met in New York with officials from Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, and South America’s football body CONMEBOL. “We want to call for unity, creativity, and believing big,” CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez said. “When football is shared by everyone, the celebration is truly global.”
If approved, a 64-team event would mean 128 matches, raising concerns about an already crowded global calendar. FIFA could then return to a 48-team format in 2034.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first with 48 teams. It will be played mostly in the United States, with Mexico and Canada also hosting matches. The last World Cup in the U.S. was in 1994 with 24 teams. The field expanded to 32 in 1998 and stayed that way through 2022 in Qatar, which Argentina won.
The 2030 edition is already historic. It will take place in six countries across three continents. Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina will each host one opening match. The rest of the games will be shared by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.
FIFA has not yet decided whether to approve the 64-team plan. Dominguez said the event must be more than just another tournament. “We believe this is a once-in-a-century opportunity,” he said.
