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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.
The Independent
11-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
South America proposes expanding 2030 World Cup to 64 teams
South American football governing body Conmebol has formally proposed expanding the 2030 World Cup to include 64 teams. The concept was first informally and 'spontaneously' suggested by Ignacio Alonso, the president of the Uruguayan Football Association, at the end of a Fifa council meeting last month. Fifa acknowledged the idea as it does any proposal by a member. Now Conmebol has submitted an official proposal to mark the centennial of the World Cup, which was first won by Uruguay, by expanding the tournament even further. 'This will allow all countries to have the opportunity to live the world experience and so nobody on the planet is left out of the party,' Conmebol president Alejandro Dominguez said at the body's congress on Thursday. 'We are convinced that the centennial celebration will be unique because 100 years are celebrated only once.' The 2026 World Cup has already expanded beyond the standard format, to 48 teams, with a move to 64 teams meaning the 2030 edition would feature 128 matches. The 2026 tournament, which will be held across the USA, Canada and Mexico, will include 104 matches up from the current 64. It would also include over a quarter of Fifa's 211 member nations, with critics saying a further expansion would devalue the quality of games. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has been among those to describe the proposal as a 'bad idea'. The centennial celebration of the World Cup is already a sprawling affair, taking place on three continents and with concerns raised at the environmental impact of the tournament. Spain, Portugal and Morocco are confirmed hosts and matches will also take place in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay to mark the anniversary.
New York Times
10-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
2030 World Cup: South America calls for expanded 64-team tournament
Alejandro Dominguez, the president of South American soccer's ruling body CONMEBOL, wants the 2030 men's World Cup to be temporarily expanded to 64 teams. The idea was first proposed by Uruguayan football official Ignacio Alonso at a FIFA Council meeting last month, before UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin dismissed the proposal as a 'bad idea'. Advertisement The 2030 World Cup will be the tournament's centenary edition, with the first competition having been held in Uruguay in 1930. 1930 hosts Uruguay, 2022 winners Argentina and Paraguay — the home of CONMEBOL's offices — are currently scheduled to host one match each at the start of the 2030 tournament, with the remaining 101 games in the 48-team tournament split between Morocco, Portugal and Spain. 'We are convinced that the centennial celebration will be unique, because 100 years only happen once,' Dominguez said at the CONMEBOL Congress on Thursday. 'And that's why we are proposing, for the only time, to hold this anniversary with 64 teams, on three continents simultaneously. So that all countries have the opportunity to live a global experience, and so that no one on this planet is left out of this celebration which, even though it's played everywhere, is our party.' FIFA told the New York Times in March that the 64-team proposal 'was spontaneously raised by a FIFA Council member in the 'miscellaneous' agenda item near the end' of their meeting. The 2026 World Cup, to be held across the United States, Mexico and Canada, will be the first 48-team edition of the tournament, an increase from the 32-team format than ran from 1998 to 2022. Seven of CONMEBOL's 10 nations are guaranteed spots in a 48-team tournament, with 16 spaces available for UEFA's 55 member nations. Last month, European football's governing body's president Ceferin said of the idea of a 64-team competition: 'I think it's a bad idea — it's not a good idea for the World Cup itself and it's not a good idea for our qualifiers as well.' (YUKI IWAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)
Fox News
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
64-team World Cup? FIFA considering bold South American proposal for 2030
FIFA is looking at a surprise proposal from South American soccer to expand the men's 2030 World Cup to 64 teams — double the size of the 2022 edition in Qatar. "A proposal to analyze a 64-team FIFA World Cup to celebrate the centenary of the FIFA World Cup in 2030 was spontaneously raised by a FIFA Council member in the 'miscellaneous' agenda item near the end of the FIFA Council meeting," soccer's governing body said Thursday, one day after the meeting. "The idea was acknowledged as FIFA has a duty to analyze any proposal from one of its Council members," FIFA said about the remote online meeting. It was suggested by the elected delegate from Uruguay, Ignacio Alonso, two people familiar with the move told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussion was confidential. Uruguay was the original World Cup host — and trophy winner — in 1930 and is scheduled to host one game at the centenary tournament. The first 48-team tournament will be played next year in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The 2030 World Cup is already set to be the most sprawling edition with six host nations spread across three continents. South American soccer body CONMEBOL agreed in 2023 to a FIFA-backed plan for Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to have one game each to open the tournament before it moves to the main co-hosts Spain, Portugal and Morocco. FIFA gave all six hosts automatic places in the tournament lineup and the deal was seen as a win in soccer politics for CONMEBOL's Paraguayan president Alejandro Dominguez. Expanding to 64 teams likely would guarantee all 10 CONMEBOL member countries a place in a bigger tournament. Venezuela is the only one that has never qualified for a World Cup. Having 64 teams if FIFA approves the move should create a tournament of 128 games — also double the number of the 64-game, 32-team format that was played from 1998 through 2022. Adding 16 teams — beyond the 48 teams of the 2026 edition — would send hundreds more players to the World Cup at a time when player unions have criticized a relentless expansion of games and competitions without consulting their members. However, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has enthusiastically supported adding to its tournament portfolio that raises revenue and gives more teams the chance to qualify, citing a need to develop soccer globally. Some World Cup sponsors, including Coca-Cola, Adidas and Wanda, bought rights to the 2030 World Cup at least a decade ago when they were paying for an expected 64-game event. FIFA gave no timetable for a review of the proposal and possible decision. Paraguay's capital Asuncion hosts the next FIFA Congress of 211 member federation in May. Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! \
New York Times
07-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Row Z: World Cup expansion, Chelsea's big spenders and Messi League Soccer?
Welcome to Row Z, The Athletic's weekly column that shines a light on the bonkers side of the game. From clubs to managers, players to organisations, every Friday we'll bring you the absurdities, the greed, the contradictions, the preposterousness and the oddities of the game we all love… It was a good week for Gianni Infantino's plan to make football a globulous money-making mass of never-ending games grow the sport with the aim of lining FIFA's pockets improving football worldwide. First up, FIFA is considering expanding the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams. Why? Well, why not? We haven't even had our first 48-team World Cup yet, with the most recent edition in Qatar being the last to feature 32 nations, but a report in The New York Times stated that a proposal has been put forward for a special centenary bonanza with more than a quarter of FIFA's membership invited to play. It was reported there was 'stunned silence' at a FIFA board meeting when the proposal was put forward by Uruguayan delegate Ignacio Alonso and there would likely be an outcry to the plan. However, in a delicious line from the article: 'But they (people with knowledge of the meeting) cautioned that FIFA was likely to be guided by financial and political benefits as much as sporting ones when it came to taking a decision on the matter. 'Mr Infantino, who has expanded his influence over the organisation and the sport since he become the head of FIFA, acknowledged the proposal and said it should be analysed more closely, according to the four people.' Advertisement For reference, the current 64th-best nation according to the FIFA rankings is Jordan. For further reference, if you expanded the Premier League to 64 clubs it would feature Mansfield Town. But hey, you wouldn't put it past them would you? After all, this is the organisation whose solution to the unthinkable prospect of clubs and fans not being interested in their expanded vanity project that is the Club World Cup is to (adopt Dr. Evil voice)… give them $1billion (£774m). Yes, FIFA has announced the prize pot for this summer's competition, which broadcasters were so disinterested in that FIFA had to call an emergency meeting with TV executives in an attempt to secure a deal. It has not yet been announced how the money will be split, but reports have suggested the winning team could receive £77.5m, similar to Champions League-winning levels but for only playing seven matches. Yep, that'll make Manchester City interested. FIFA also confirmed the prize money will include a 'solidarity' pot for clubs who aren't even in the tournament. What's that about? Are FIFA going to try and help ease the enormous financial burden on some desperately struggling lower-league clubs who can't cope with the cavernous financial disparity in English football? Maybe they'll step in and try and help out a club like Reading, who have suffered relegations, points deductions, transfer bans and lost tens of millions under the dreadful ownership of Dai Yongge? Perhaps they'll help out at non-League Southend whose expected losses are around £2m this year? No, don't be silly folks. They're going to give the money to big clubs who weren't invited! Why? Well, as The Athletic reported this week: 'Concerns had been raised that excessive prize money exclusively for teams in the tournament could distort domestic leagues.' Domestic leagues being distorted by huge financial discrepancies? Imagine that. Well done FIFA. Meanwhile, a UEFA report out this week says Chelsea have officially created the most expensive football squad of all time. Well done guys, great job! The European Club Finance and Investment Landscape report, which details how Premier League revenues are almost double those from the Bundesliga and La Liga, states: 'Chelsea's squad at the end of the club's 2024 financial year was officially the most expensive ever assembled, with a combined transfer cost of €1.65billion (£1.39bn; $1.79bn). This comfortably surpassed the value of the Real Madrid squad of 2020, which cost €1.33bn.' GO DEEPER Premier League revenue almost as much as that of La Liga and Bundesliga combined Players: Ballon d'Or winners Karim Benzema and Luka Modric as well as a host of legendary players who reached the very pinnacle of the sport in Gareth Bale, Thibaut Courtois, Toni Kroos, Eden Hazard, Casemiro, Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos, as well as a burgeoning star in Vinicius Junior. Achievements: Won La Liga that year by five points, reached the Champions League semi-finals the year after, and then won the competition (and La Liga again) in 2022. Players: Had to recall Trevoh Chalobah from Crystal Palace because they'd run out of defenders. Achievements: Having a decent run in the UEFA Conference League where they could face Pafos or Borac Banja Luka in the semi-finals. MLS' executive vice president of partnership marketing Jen Cramer outlined the league's multi-pronged growth strategy last year, explaining how MLS' popularity went beyond just Lionel Messi. Cramer said: 'We talked about Messi, but there are others that have come into MLS recently, so we're attracting this generational global talent. And we believe that this provides a halo effect from their international appeal and cements our status as an international league.' Advertisement Also MLS: 'If Messi isn't playing you can watch for free.' Yep, that's Houston Dynamo who attempted to placate fans who'd packed out their 22,000 capacity stadium for the visit of Inter Miami, only for Messi to be rested. 'Unfortunately, we have no control over who plays for our opponent,' a club statement said. 'To show our appreciation, fans who attend can claim a complimentary ticket to a future Dynamo match this season.' Last year, Vancouver Whitecaps said sorry and offered 50 per cent off food and drink at another Inter Miami match that Messi missed, while Chicago Fire gave free tickets and offered $250 off season ticket memberships because Messi was injured. Don't forget though, generational global talents in an international league. GO DEEPER Houston Dynamo offer fans free ticket to future match with Lionel Messi out Get former Everton and Wolves midfielder Segundo Castillo back to the Premier League this instant and give Sean Dyche a top-flight job so the pair can meet on the touchline as soon as possible please. The internet will be broken by the resulting memes. Barcelona S.C. manager Segundo Castillo with quite possibly the best touchline outfit we've seen 😅 — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 6, 2025 And we finish this week with a worldie from the non-League, where Paul Merson's son Sam scored a quite ridiculous goal for Hanworth Villa against Farnham Town. Paul Merson's son scored an absolute worldie 🤩 Take a bow Sam Merson! He scored the "outrageous" volley for Hanworth Villa against Farnham Town in the Isthmian League South. — Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) March 5, 2025 Here's Merson Snr reporting on the goal on Soccer Saturday (in this column's imagination): 'JEFF! No way. I don't believe this Jeff. 'I dunno who dunnit but someone's done something incredible, oh it's incredible you gotta see this Jeff! 'Here's the replay… it's the fella, what's his name, Merzom, and he just flicks it up and volleys it in one go… Nerson… no Cam Lerpon that's who dunnit. Anyway what a goal.'
