CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani has firmly rejected the idea of expanding the 2030 men's World Cup to 64 teams. He believes such a move would harm both the tournament itself and the broader football world.
"I don't believe expanding the men's World Cup to 64 teams is the right move," Montagliani told ESPN. He pointed to potential negative impacts on national teams, club competitions, leagues, and players.
The push for expansion comes from CONMEBOL, South America's football governing body. They want the 2030 tournament – set to be hosted across Spain, Portugal, and Morocco with opening games in South America – to grow beyond the already-expanded 48-team format debuting in 2026.
Too Much, Too Soon?
Montagliani makes a compelling point about timing. "We haven't even kicked off the new 48-team World Cup yet," he stressed. The 2026 edition in North America will be the first to feature 48 nations, up from the 32-team format used since 1998.
If CONMEBOL got their way, the 2030 tournament would feature a staggering 128 matches. That's double the number played at Qatar 2022. Such expansion could create scheduling nightmares and potentially dilute the quality of play.
For bettors, a 64-team tournament would offer more matches to wager on but might introduce more unpredictability with lower-ranked teams entering the mix. This could create value betting opportunities on underdogs but make tournament forecasting more challenging.
Competing Visions for the Centennial World Cup
The 2030 tournament holds special significance as the 100th anniversary of the World Cup. Uruguay hosted the first edition in 1930, which explains why South American nations will host opening matches before the tournament shifts to Europe and Africa.
CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez passionately argued for expansion: "We are convinced that the centennial celebration will be unique, because 100 years only happen once." He envisions a global party with "64 teams on three continents simultaneously."
CONCACAF, which governs football in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, already has a favorable position for 2026. They'll have six guaranteed spots plus two potential additional teams through playoffs.
UEFA's president Aleksander Ceferin has also dismissed the expansion idea as "bad." With opposition from two major confederations, CONMEBOL faces an uphill battle to realize their ambitious vision.
For fans and bettors alike, the debate highlights the tension between tradition and expansion in international football. While more teams mean more matches and betting opportunities, many purists worry about diluting the prestigious tournament's quality and special nature.
