"Potential Pitfalls Ahead" - DFB rejects proposed 64-team World Cup expansion
DFB strongly opposes the impractical World Cup proposals
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The 2030 FIFA World Cup could see a significant increase in the number of participating teams with Uruguayan Football Association president Ignacio Alonso's proposal for 64 teams to commemorate the tournament's jubilee. However, the German Football Association (DFB) has vocally opposed this idea.
According to DFB President Bernd Neuendorf, the proposed expansion risks "doing the tournament no favor." Neuendorf has expressed doubt in the feasibility of the expansion from both a sporting and organizational perspective. The DFB's concern centers around the potential negative consequences for national leagues as a longer tournament phase could impose an enormous physical strain on players.
The origination of the 64-team idea was put forth in the FIFA Council in early March by Uruguayan Football Association president Ignacio Alonso. Although the topic is not currently on the official agenda for the Congress in Asunción, the Council will reconvene before the assembly of FIFA member associations.
While South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) backs the Uruguayan proposal, opposition arises from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the North and Central American Football Confederation (CONCACAF), as well as UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, who has publicly criticized the plans as "a bad idea."
Ceferin and other Council members were surprised by the sudden intervention under the "Miscellaneous" point, with Ceferin commenting, "It's strange that we didn't know about this before." Uruguay is one of six host countries for the 2030 World Cup, with the tournament also taking place in Argentina, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, and Morocco. The number of teams for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico was already increased from 32 to 48 under FIFA president Gianni Infantino's leadership.
Expanding the World Cup to 64 teams would provide greater representation and presumably include all 10 CONMEBOL member nations, such as Venezuela, which has never qualified before. Additionally, increased representation could generate higher revenues, benefiting global football growth.
Critics worry about the potential negative impact on the quality of play and the competitive nature of the qualification process in various continents if the number of participating teams is doubled to 64. Logistical challenges also arise when considering staging 128 matches across multiple venues and continents, potentially introducing significant travel and infrastructure difficulties.
The debate persists as FIFA evaluates the proposal amid differing opinions concerning the future direction and ideal size of the World Cup for 2030.
Additional Information
- CONMEBOL president, Alejandro Domínguez, officially proposed increasing the 2030 World Cup from 32 to 64 teams, proposing a unique, inclusive event for the 100th anniversary and guaranteed qualification for all South American nations [1][3].
- UEFA president, Aleksander Čeferin, criticized the 64-team expansion as a "bad idea," citing quality and logistical concerns [1][3].-CONCACAF President, Victor Montagliani, strongly opposed the proposal and highlighted potential negative impacts on various aspects of the football ecosystem [2].
The European Parliament and the Council have noted the proposal from FIFA to expand the World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 tournament, an idea opposed by the German Football Association (DFB). UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, alongside CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani, has publicly criticized the plan as a potential logistical challenge and a detriment to the quality of play. The United European Football Association (UEFA), through Ceferin, has raised concerns about the feasibility of staging 128 matches across multiple venues and continents.
