As the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America concludes with Spain's victory, the possibility of expanding the 2030 FIFA World Cup to 64 participating nations is gaining traction.
According to the Spanish media outlet Marca, Alejandro Dominguez, president of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), reportedly expressed his support for a 64-team format for the next World Cup in an official setting immediately after the conclusion of the 2026 tournament.
"My dream is to host a 64-team tournament in 2030 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the World Cup, and I invite everyone to meet at our home," Dominguez stated.
By mentioning that some matches would be held in his home country of Paraguay, he publicly declared his intention for a 64-team World Cup.
This is not the first time the possibility of a 64-team format for the next World Cup has been raised.
During the tournament, FIFA President Gianni Infantino also mentioned the 64-team final tournament format in an interview with the Swiss media outlet Blue Sport.
However, with significant criticism already surrounding the 48-team format used in this year's World Cup, it remains uncertain whether the number of participating countries can be expanded further for the very next tournament.
Football experts point out that the increase in the number of matches following the expansion of participating countries negatively impacts the performance of the players.
In fact, there is an assessment that the final match between Argentina and Spain did not showcase the full potential of both teams due to issues such as player fatigue.
Furthermore, criticism is mounting that FIFA is using the World Cup, a global festival, as a tool for excessive commercialization.
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), as well as the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF)—which are considered to be among President Infantino's strongest supporters—have shown signs of opposition to the expansion. Consequently, the conflict between President Infantino's side, centered on the host nations, and the opposing factions is not expected to be easily resolved.
Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Choi Gang-san | Graphics by Lee Su-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
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