CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani has expressed firm opposition to a recent proposal to expand the 2030 FIFA World Cup to 64 teams, arguing that such a move could harm the global football landscape. The tournament is already set to grow from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 edition, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Montagliani, a key figure in the decision to expand to 48 teams for 2026, told ESPN that further enlargement is premature and potentially detrimental.
“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,” he said. “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 2030 World Cup, marking the centenary of the tournament’s founding in 1930, will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with select opening matches scheduled in Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina to honor the event’s South American origins.
The push for a one-off 64-team format comes from CONMEBOL, the South American football confederation, led by President Alejandro Domínguez. Earlier this month, Domínguez made headlines with a call for a centennial celebration involving 128 matches — double the total played at Qatar 2022.
“We are convinced that the centennial celebration will be unique, because 100 years only happen once,” said Domínguez. “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.”
Despite the appeal of broader participation, critics like Montagliani believe such an expansion would stretch global football resources too thin, undermining player welfare, national team quality, and the already congested football calendar.
With debates heating up over how best to commemorate a century of World Cup history, FIFA will soon face a pivotal decision: whether to prioritize celebration and inclusion, or stability and sustainability.
