Source:REUTERS/Presidencia de Mexico
[Saba Sports News] The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) previously proposed a World Cup expansion plan to FIFA to commemorate the tournament’s centenary, suggesting an increase from 48 to 64 teams, potentially doubling the number of matches to 128. However, this move has been opposed by UEFA and CONCACAF, who argue it would “compromise the quality of the tournament and the qualification system.” If implemented, this proposal would allow approximately one-third of FIFA’s members to qualify for the final tournament, drastically reducing the suspense for traditional European powerhouses to qualify and potentially leading to more one-sided matches in the group stages. The strong opposition from UEFA and CONCACAF reflects concerns about tournament quality, player health, and the order of league football. Our editor views this as a negative development because a 64-team format would significantly widen the gap between strong and weak teams, likely resulting in numerous one-sided group stage matches. Furthermore, it would impact the schedule of European clubs and leagues, ultimately harming the World Cup’s brand value and the global football ecosystem. Given the recent expansion to 48 teams for the 6 World Cup, the 64-team proposal seems both radical and lacking thorough assessment, and should not be implemented.