Concacaf President Victor Montagliani Opposes 64-Team World Cup Proposal
In the ever-evolving world of international soccer, change is often met with a mix of enthusiasm and skepticism. The latest proposal to expand the World Cup to 64 teams has certainly stirred the pot, drawing reactions from various corners of the soccer world. Concacaf president Victor Montagliani has joined the chorus of voices opposing this ambitious plan, which was put forward by CONMEBOL leader Alejandro Domínguez.
Domínguez introduced the proposal during an online meeting of FIFA’s ruling council, suggesting that the tournament grow from the traditional 32 participants to a whopping 64. This idea, however, has not been warmly received by everyone. Montagliani, speaking to ESPN, expressed his concerns about the potential impact of such an expansion.
“At Concacaf, we’ve shown that we are open to change by supporting the Women’s World Cup expansion and the continuous evolution of our Confederation’s men’s and women’s national team and club events,” Montagliani stated. “I don’t believe expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues, and players.”
It’s worth noting that FIFA is already set to test a new 48-team format for the 2026 World Cup. This upcoming tournament will be a significant departure from the norm, with matches taking place across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Despite this impending change, Domínguez believes that even more can be done with a larger-scale tournament.
Montagliani, however, remains unconvinced. “We haven’t even kicked off the new 48-team World Cup yet, so personally, I don’t think that expanding to 64 teams should even be on the table,” he remarked.
UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has also voiced his dissent regarding Domínguez’s proposal, labeling the idea as a “bad idea.” In a statement, Čeferin said, “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. So, I am not supporting that idea. I don’t know where it came from but it’s strange that we didn’t know anything before this proposal at the FIFA Council.”
The skepticism doesn’t end there. Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa has also weighed in, warning that growth at this rate could lead to chaos. “If the issue remains open to change, then the door will not only be open to expanding the tournament to 64 teams,” Salman said at the 35th AFC Congress. “But someone might come along and demand raising the number to 132 teams. Where would we end up then? It would become chaos.”
As the soccer world prepares for the 2026 World Cup, the first to feature 48 teams, the debate over further expansion continues. The tournament will be a historic event, with teams competing for the coveted trophy across stadiums in North America. However, the question remains: is bigger always better?
For now, the proposal to expand the World Cup to 64 teams remains a contentious topic. While some see it as an opportunity to bring more nations into the fold, others worry about the potential consequences for the sport’s ecosystem. As the conversation unfolds, it will be interesting to see how FIFA navigates these differing opinions and what the future holds for the world’s most popular sporting event.
- Concacaf president Victor Montagliani opposes 64-team World Cup proposal.
- CONMEBOL leader Alejandro Domínguez introduced the expansion idea.
- FIFA will test a 48-team format in the 2026 World Cup.
- UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin and AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa also express concerns.
Originally Written by: Lizzy Becherano
