South American Proposal to Expand 2030 World Cup to 64 Teams Rejected; FIFA Confirms 48-Team Format

May 23 – According to the latest report by Brazilian *Estadão* journalist Marcel Rizzo, the proposal submitted by CONMEBOL to increase the number of teams in the 2030 World Cup from 48 to 64 will not be implemented.

FIFA has decided that the tournament, which will be held across three continents, will maintain the 48-team format first used in 2026.

In September of last year, CONMEBOL leadership submitted an application to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. South American nations wanted the entire group stage to be played in the region, rather than just the three World Cup centenary matches currently planned.

The 2030 World Cup will be held primarily in Portugal, Spain, and Morocco.

The plan never received approval from other confederations, such as UEFA and CONCACAF. Both organizations have already announced their qualification formats for the 2030 World Cup and have maintained their current allocation of slots.

According to sources consulted by *Estadão*, even within CONMEBOL, there was no consensus among its member associations.

The topic has recently resurfaced on social media, with some even mentioning 66 teams, a format that had never been considered before (the number of teams was always 64).

CONMEBOL sought support from African and Asian nations, arguing that expansion would allow more national teams from those regions to participate in the centenary celebration. Although some national associations expressed interest, no agreement was reached among the confederation leaders.

Thus, the 2030 World Cup will feature 48 teams playing 104 matches, adopting the same format as the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. To commemorate the birthplace of the first World Cup in 1930 (South America), the opening three matches will be played in South America:

One in Buenos Aires, Argentina, one in Montevideo, Uruguay, and one in Asunción, Paraguay. The remaining 101 matches will be held in Portugal, Spain, and Morocco.

Negotiations to ensure these matches would be played in South America began in 2023, involving UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin. After discussions with CONMEBOL, Čeferin accepted the proposal. CONMEBOL had already understood that it would lose full hosting rights for the centenary World Cup, as Europe and Africa submitted a joint bid.

With Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay automatically qualifying as partial hosts, the other seven South American nations (including Brazil) will need to determine their qualifying format. The final allocation of slots will be announced later.

Source: Estadão