In relation to the 2030 World Cup, New York City hosted a pivotal meeting that outlines new directions for the future of global football. The summit included Alejandro Domínguez, President of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, alongside several heads of state and officials from football federations.
In a notable press statement, Domínguez said, “We came here to work, and we held a very important meeting. Soon we will announce news that will have a global impact.”
Argentinian newspaper “Olé,” which covered the event, reported that these remarks were a precursor to an ambitious project CONMEBOL aims to promote: increasing the number of teams participating in the 2030 World Cup to 64, up from the planned 48 for the 2026 tournament.
### International Support and Political Signals
The meeting was attended by heads of state such as Santiago Peña (Paraguay) and Yamandú Orsi (Uruguay). However, Argentinian President Javier Milei was absent, despite being in New York for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, which raised domestic criticism.
Pablo Toviggino, Secretary General of the Argentinian Football Association, posted a strong statement, while President Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia sent an indirect message to Milei, expressing pride in participating in the summit with FIFA and CONMEBOL leaders and praising the attending heads of state.
### Project Details
The project aims to organize the 2030 World Cup with 64 teams divided into 16 groups, compared to 12 groups in 2026. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Round of 32, meaning the number of teams advancing to the knockout stages will remain unchanged, but the global participation base is set to expand.
The idea has received substantial support from FIFA President Infantino, who recently visited Morocco and Asia to garner backing from federations there. A formal decision is expected during the FIFA Council meeting next week, ahead of the International Federation’s conference in Vancouver next year.
### Geographical Aspects of the World Cup
Since the 2030 World Cup coincides with the centenary of the first World Cup, held in Uruguay in 1930, South American countries have been granted the honor of hosting the opening matches, with one game each in Montevideo, Buenos Aires, and Paraguay.
The remaining 13 groups will play in the main host countries: Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.
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