CONMEBOL president 'leaks' huge World Cup 2030 change with unexpected announcement
CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez has appeared to confirm that the 2030 World Cup in Spain, Portugal and Morocco will be expanded in one of the biggest changes in tournament history.
The first 48-team World Cup has just come to an end but it appears another expansion is on the horizon.
Back in September, talks were held over staging a 'historic' 64-team tournament in 2030 during a meeting that included FIFA president Gianni Infantino and general secretary Mattias Grafstrom.
It came after a formal pitch was made by a delegation of South American nations which included heads of state from Paraguay and Uruguay, as well as senior football executives from the South American confederation CONMEBOL and the head of the Argentine FA.
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The idea of a 64-team World Cup was first presented by Uruguayan FA president, Ignacio Alonso, during a FIFA Council meeting in March last year.
Two months later at the FIFA Congress in Paraguay, CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez urged FIFA to think about a unique approach for the centenary anniversary of world football's biggest tournament.
And now, Dominguez has appeared to confirm that 64 nations will feature in 2030.
Taking to social media after Spain lifted the World Cup, he wrote on X: "The next one is played at home! In 2030, the World Cup comes to Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, a great opportunity for soccer, to celebrate the Centenary of the World Cup with a competition featuring 64 teams."
In a follow-up post on Tuesday, Dominguez added: "We are working to ensure that the 2030 World Cup is held with 64 national teams in homage to the Centenary of the World Cup.
"International football grows when it opens up to the world. The expansion to 48 teams demonstrated that greater participation generates more opportunities, boosts the development of football, and turns the World Cup into a true global celebration.
"The Centenary offers us a historic opportunity to Dream Big. May the World Cup be the greatest celebration that football has ever known."
The 23 World Cup 2030 stadiums on FIFA shortlist to host games
Spain will play an important role in the 2030 tournament after they were chosen as co-hosts alongside Portugal and Morocco.
To commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the World Cup, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will also stage an opening match to honour the first World Cup.
In total, 11 stadiums in Spain have been chosen to host games alongside six in Morocco and three in Portugal, while one match is being held in each of Uruguay, Argentina and Mexico to mark the centenary celebrations.
A total of 23 stadiums were included in the official hosting plans approved by FIFA.
Argentina
- Buenos Aires – Estadio Monumental
Morocco
- Agadir – Adrar Stadium
- Casablanca – Hassan II Stadium
- Fez – Fez Stadium
- Marrakesh – Marrakesh Stadium
- Rabat – Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium
- Tangier – Ibn Batouta Stadium
Paraguay
- Asunción – Estadio Osvaldo Domínguez Dibb
Portugal
- Lisbon – Estádio da Luz
- Lisbon – Estádio José Alvalade
- Porto – Estádio do Dragão
Spain
- Barcelona – Camp Nou
- Barcelona – RCDE Stadium
- Bilbao – San Mamés Stadium
- Las Palmas – Estadio Gran Canaria
- Madrid – Santiago Bernabéu
- Madrid – Metropolitano Stadium
- San Sebastián – Anoeta Stadium
- Seville – Estadio de La Cartuja
- Valencia – Nou Mestalla
- Vigo – Balaídos Stadium
- Zaragoza – Nueva Romareda
Uruguay
- Montevideo – Estadio Centenario
Topics: FIFA World Cup, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, FIFA
Jack Kenmare