FIFA has rebuffed a concerted push from South American football leaders for a 64-team World Cup in 2030, confirming that no such expansion is being planned. The governing body’s position solidifies despite its president, Gianni Infantino, personally hearing the proposal during a summit with Conmebol representatives in New York City.
The meeting at Trump Tower was the first formal dialogue about the expansion, which was proposed by the Uruguayan Football Association last year. Leaders from Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina argued that a 64-team tournament would be a fitting celebration for the competition’s centenary and would significantly benefit their region by making World Cup qualification nearly universal for its 10 members.
However, the idea has been met with widespread skepticism within FIFA. An internal source stated confidently that Infantino would not be able to get such a vote through the FIFA Council, which must approve any changes to the tournament format. The primary objection is that a 64-team field would harm the World Cup’s quality and brand, introducing too many lopsided matches.
The South American proposal is also facing public opposition from the heads of other powerful confederations. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani have both gone on record against the plan, creating a formidable bloc of resistance at the highest levels of football governance. Their alignment signals a strong desire to protect the tournament from over-expansion.
With the World Cup already set to increase to 48 teams in 2026, the appetite for another immediate and even more drastic change is virtually non-existent. The issue is not on the agenda for the next FIFA Council meeting, indicating that for the foreseeable future, the 64-team World Cup will remain purely a hypothetical concept.