FIFA is evaluating whether to expand the World Cup once again, this time to 64 teams for the 2030 tournament according to Reuters.
The global football governing body’s leadership discussed the idea at a meeting this week, sources told Reuters. The New York Times also reports that a delegate from Uruguay, which will host some 2030 fixtures, proposed the idea.
Morocco, Spain and Portugal will be main hosts of the 2030 World Cup, but Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will also host three opening fixtures.
Though a considerable distance from the main hosting location of the Mediterranean, the South American hosts do serve a symbolic purpose due to the 2030 World Cup coming 100 years after the first World Cup, which was held in and won by Uruguay.
When recent developments are taken into consideration, the notion of the World Cup being expanded in 2030 is not too surprising. The 2026 tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico is also an enlarged one having been expanded from the traditional 32 to 48 teams.
In a slightly more controversial development, this year’s Club World Cup will feature 32 club teams instead of the more simple format of the champions of the six different regional governing bodies, plus the previous tournament’s winner.
This has led to some criticism partly from players and player associations. Players at the world’s elite teams have already expressed frustration with a packed schedule – for example, top four English teams need to compete in the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League, and now an expanded Club World Cup, with the 2025 edition featuring Manchester City and Chelsea.
There is also the issue that, at least for European clubs, the Club World Cup has never been viewed as a primary focus when it pertains to trophy status, compared to the priority placed upon UEFA Champions League and domestic league titles. .
To try and change this, FIFA has added a huge financial incentive to the Club World Cup in the form of a $1bn prize fund.
Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, said: “There will be a $1bn FIFA Club World Cup distribution pot for participating clubs and a target of an additional minimum of USD 250 million as solidarity to non-participating clubs across the world. In addition, FIFA gets zero!”
