UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin speaks during a press conference after the 49th UEFA Ordinary Congress held at the Sava Centar congress centre in Belgrade on April 3, 2025. (Photo by PREDRAG MILOSAVLJEVIC / AFP)
In a bold and candid statement at UEFA’s congress in Belgrade, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has publicly denounced FIFA’s proposal to further expand the World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 tournament. Ceferin labeled the idea as ill-conceived and impractical, emphasizing that it could negatively impact both the tournament’s quality and the European qualification process.
The 2026 World Cup, set to take place across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will already see an unprecedented increase from 32 to 48 participating teams. Despite this historic expansion, FIFA is now reportedly considering pushing the number even higher to 64 teams for the 2030 edition.
The controversial suggestion originated from the head of the Uruguayan football federation, Ignacio Alonso, during the most recent FIFA Council meeting in March. FIFA acknowledged the proposal, stating that it “had a duty to analyze” the concept. However, Ceferin made it clear that UEFA had not been consulted prior to the announcement, expressing his astonishment at how the idea surfaced without prior notice to European football’s governing body.
Speaking to an audience of UEFA representatives and stakeholders, Ceferin did not hold back in voicing his disapproval.
“It’s maybe even more surprising for me than for you,” Ceferin remarked. “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. I don’t support that idea, and frankly, I have no idea where it even came from.”
Ceferin’s firm stance reflects growing concerns among European football officials that adding more teams could dilute the quality of the tournament and disrupt the balance of the qualification system. As Europe has long been a dominant force in global football, any changes to the World Cup format inevitably spark debate within UEFA.
The 2030 World Cup is set to be an exceptional and historic edition, as it will take place across three continents, with Portugal, Spain, and Morocco as the primary hosts. To commemorate the centenary of the first-ever World Cup held in 1930 in Uruguay, three additional matches will be played in South America — specifically in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.
While the ambitious plan to host matches across multiple continents has already generated excitement, the proposal to further expand the tournament to 64 teams has sparked controversy and uncertainty. Critics argue that logistical challenges and a potential drop in competition quality could outweigh the benefits of increased global representation.
Ceferin’s rebuke of the expansion plan underscores the tension between UEFA and FIFA regarding the future of the World Cup. While FIFA continues to explore ways to increase inclusivity and representation in the tournament, UEFA remains cautious about making changes that could compromise the integrity of the sport.
As the debate over the tournament format intensifies, the football world awaits FIFA’s final decision on whether the 2030 World Cup will see yet another historic change to its structure. One thing is certain — UEFA’s message to FIFA is loud and clear: further expansion is not the right move for the beautiful game.
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