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Reuters
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Infantino says 'every idea is a good idea' after suggestion of 64-team 2030 World Cup
ASUNCION, May 15 (Reuters) - FIFA President Gianni Infantino appeared on Thursday to give some support to South American confederation CONMEBOL's idea of having 64 teams in the 2030 World Cup, saying that "every idea is a good idea" and should be reviewed. In his inaugural address at the 75th FIFA Congress in Paraguay, CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez said all member associations should think creatively to ensure no one is left out of the tournament, which will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup, hosted and won by Uruguay. "The 100-year celebration will be something special. And I want to underline the words of Alejandro (Dominguez) in this speech. He told all of us to think on how we can really celebrate it in the way it deserves to be celebrated. So every idea is a good idea," Infantino said in his closing remarks. The 2026 World Cup, which will be played next year in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, has been expanded to 48 teams. CONMEBOL wants the next World Cup, which will be played in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco and also include matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, to have 64 teams. After the Congress, CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani reiterated his disagreement. "I've already made a comment on that, no it's not a great idea, and you know, I think that we haven't even kicked the ball for 48 (in 2026), and I think, obviously they can study all they want, but it just doesn't feel right," Montagliani told reporters.
CNA
15-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Infantino says 'every idea is a good idea' after suggestion of 64-team 2030 World Cup
ASUNCION : FIFA President Gianni Infantino appeared on Thursday to give some support to South American confederation CONMEBOL's idea of having 64 teams in the 2030 World Cup, saying that "every idea is a good idea" and should be reviewed. In his inaugural address at the 75th FIFA Congress in Paraguay, CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez said all member associations should think creatively to ensure no one is left out of the tournament, which will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup, hosted and won by Uruguay. "The 100-year celebration will be something special. And I want to underline the words of Alejandro (Dominguez) in this speech. He told all of us to think on how we can really celebrate it in the way it deserves to be celebrated. So every idea is a good idea," Infantino said in his closing remarks. The 2026 World Cup, which will be played next year in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, has been expanded to 48 teams. CONMEBOL wants the next World Cup, which will be played in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco and also include matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, to have 64 teams. After the Congress, CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani reiterated his disagreement. "I've already made a comment on that, no it's not a great idea, and you know, I think that we haven't even kicked the ball for 48 (in 2026), and I think, obviously they can study all they want, but it just doesn't feel right," Montagliani told reporters.
The Independent
15-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Concacaf president joins chorus opposing 2030 World Cup expansion to 64 teams
The controversial proposal to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams has been criticised by several continental federations, with both the Concacaf and Asian Football Confederation presidents opposing the move. South American governing body Conmebol formally proposed the expansion last week, lending momentum to an idea that was initially suggested at a Fifa council meeting last month by Ignacio Alonso, the president of the Uruguayan Football Association. Conmebol president Alejandro Dominguez officially backed the idea at the federation's congress on Thursday, saying the expansion would ensure 'nobody on the planet is left out of the party.' But the suggestion has been criticised by several other bodies in world football. ESPN reported that Victor Montagliani, president of Concacaf - which governs football in North and Central America and the Caribbean - said: 'I don't believe expanding the men's World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues, and players.' 'We haven't even kicked off the new 48-team World Cup yet, so personally, I don't think that expanding to 64 teams should even be on the table.' The 2026 World Cup, which will be held across the US, Canada and Mexico, will be the first to expand to 48 teams from the existing model of 32. The decision to increase the number of teams in the tournament was made following a unanimous vote at a Fifa congress in 2017. Any further expansion to 64 teams would mean the 2030 edition would involve 128 matches, double the number contested under the format viewers are familiar with. The 2026 tournament will feature 104 matches played out across 16 host cities. The 2030 edition already faces a number of logistical challenges due to its sprawling nature across three continents. Spain, Portugal and Morocco are designated hosts but Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina will all host opening matches to mark the centenary of the tournament, which was first hosted and won by Uruguay. Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said the 64-team idea risked the World Cup descending into 'chaos'. 'If the issue remains open to change, then the door will not only be open to expanding the tournament to 64 teams,' he said at the 35th AFC Congress. 'But someone might come along and demand raising the number to 132 teams. Where would we end up then? It would become chaos.' Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin, who is also a Fifa vice president, was another to criticise the proposal. He said: 'It is not a good idea for the World Cup itself and it's not a good idea for our qualifiers as well.' He also queried the sudden nature of the original suggestion: 'I don't know where it came from but it's strange that we didn't know anything before this proposal at the FIFA Council.' Fifa has yet to comment on the merit of the idea but said following the original suggestion that it was obliged to consider it. The proposal may be discussed at Fifa's upcoming 75th Congress, which will be held in Asuncion, Paraguay on 15 May.
South China Morning Post
12-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Asian football chief fears ‘chaos' if 2030 World Cup expands to 64 teams, opposes plan
Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, on Saturday opposed a South American request to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, saying such increases in numbers would lead to 'chaos'. Advertisement The centenary edition, hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco with three matches also being staged in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, is already set to welcome 48 teams – a far cry from the 13 in the inaugural event in Uruguay in 1930. 'Personally, I don't agree,' the Bahraini leader told AFP, adding the 2030 edition had settled on 48 teams 'so the matter is settled'. His counterpart from South American football's governing body Conmebol, Alejandro Dominguez, on Thursday called on Fifa to expand the event in a one-off gesture. He also asked for South America to host the first round of one of the groups, instead of just three matches. The South American football confederation wants the centenary World Cup in 2030 to have 64 teams. Photo: DPA The global event is expected to expand from 32 to 48 teams at the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Daily Tribune
12-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
Asian football chief fears 'chaos' if 2030 World Cup expands to 64 teams
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, on Saturday opposed a South American request to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, saying such increases in numbers would lead to "chaos". The centenary edition, hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco with three matches also being staged in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, is already set to welcome 48 teams - a far cry from the 13 in the inaugural event in Uruguay in 1930. "Personally, I don't agree," the Bahraini leader told AFP, adding the 2030 edition had settled on 48 teams "so the matter is settled". His counterpart from South American football's governing body CONMEBOL, Alejandro Dominguez, on Thursday called on FIFA to expand the event in a one-off gesture. He also asked for South America to host the first round of one of the groups, instead of just three matches. The global event is due to expand from 32 to 48 teams at the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. "If the issue remains open to change, then the door will not only be open to expanding the tournament to 64 teams, but someone might come along and demand raising the number to 132 teams," said Salman on the sidelines of the 35th AFC Congress in Kuala Lumpur. "Where would we end up then? It would become chaos." However, the Asian leader refused to close the door on a change after the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia, which will host 48 teams. "If we want to discuss subsequent tournaments... that's a different matter," he said. UEFA boss Aleksander Ceferin, dismissed it as a "bad idea" but FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom said the world body would "analyse" the South American proposal. "There are many things that need to be studied, and we will take our time, consult everyone," he said.
