One year after the unprecedented distribution of the 2030 World Cup among South America, Europe, and Africa was confirmed, Alejandro Domínguez brought the topic back to the agenda. The president of CONMEBOL published a message in which he insisted on expanding the number of participants to 64 and requested that Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay have the opportunity to host more matches.
The official spoke of a historic opportunity and also a symbolic obligation: to celebrate the centenary of the World Cup "with the greatness it deserves". Domínguez called for unity, clarifying that he doesn't seek to modify any idea, but rather to add support at a moment he described as "transcendental".
In his speech, he emphasized that the World Cup doesn't belong to the institutions, but rather "to the people who live and breathe football in every corner of the planet", and he invited everyone to "bring all their creativity to make this occasion an unprecedented celebration". "Not every day marks 100 years. Let's make this celebration different, special, and unforgettable", he concluded.
The request is not new. In September, during a meeting in New York, CONMEBOL, with the support of all its associations, reiterated to FIFA its intention to move toward a World Cup with 64 participants, a format that would increase the number of matches to be played in South American territory.
For now, the 2030 World Cup will have its main development in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, but it will begin with some matches in the Southern Cone, as was initially agreed. The coming months will be decisive, since between 2025 and 2026, the various FIFA councils and congresses will have to ratify positions and seek consensus for an organization that, due to its historical dimension, promises to remain a subject of debate.
