UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has strongly criticized FIFA’s proposal to expand the World Cup to 64 teams, calling the idea “bad” for the future of the prestigious tournament. Speaking at UEFA’s congress in Belgrade on Thursday, Ceferin rejected the suggestion, arguing that it would negatively impact both the tournament’s quality and the qualification process.
“I think it’s a bad idea,” Ceferin stated, expressing his surprise over the proposal, which was raised by Ignacio Alonso, head of the Uruguayan football federation, during the FIFA Council meeting in March. Ceferin added that the expansion would not only dilute the competition but also complicate the qualifiers for European teams.
The 2026 World Cup, set to be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will already see an increase in the number of teams from 32 to 48. Despite this, FIFA is considering further expansion to 64 teams for the 2030 tournament, a move that has sparked debate within the football community.
“It’s strange that we didn’t know anything before this proposal at the FIFA Council,” Ceferin remarked, expressing his surprise that the idea had not been discussed more thoroughly before being put forward. He emphasized that the World Cup, which already boasts a rich history, would not benefit from such an increase in teams.
The 2030 World Cup is set to be a historic edition, as it will be held across three continents, with Portugal, Spain, and Morocco as the primary hosts. To mark the centenary of the first-ever World Cup, which took place in Uruguay in 1930, matches will also be held in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.
Additionally, the decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia has already been made, further fueling discussions about the future direction of the tournament.
Ceferin’s comments reflect growing concerns among European football leaders about the long-term impact of such drastic changes to the tournament’s structure. With FIFA’s proposal under scrutiny, it remains to be seen whether the idea of a 64-team World Cup will gain traction or face further opposition.
