Victor Montagliani, the president of CONCACAF, has rejected the South American proposal for a 64-team World Cup in 2030 (Megan Briggs)
The South American proposal for the 2030 World Cup to characteristic 64 groups has acquired a severe blow with CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani rejecting the concept.
The opposition of Montagliani, who heads the confederation for the 41 member associations in North and Central America and the Caribbean, follows related stances taken by UEFA and the Asian Soccer Confederation (AFC).
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“I do not consider increasing the lads’s World Cup to 64 groups is the appropriate transfer for the match itself and the broader soccer ecosystem, from nationwide groups to membership competitions, leagues, and gamers,” Montagliani informed ESPN.
The World Cup will increase from 32 to groups to 48 for the 2026 match within the USA, Canada and Mexico however CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez not too long ago proposed going to 64 nations for 2030.
Dominguez stated such a transfer may very well be a one-off for the centenary version of the match which will likely be hosted in Spain, Portugal and Morocco but in addition characteristic a recreation in three totally different South American nations.
However Montagliani stated it was far too early to even be desirous about additional enlargement.
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“We have not even kicked off the brand new 48-team World Cup but, so personally, I do not suppose that increasing to 64 groups ought to even be on the desk,” he stated.
On Saturday, AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa additionally expressed opposition.
“Personally, I do not agree,” the Bahraini chief informed AFP, including the 2030 version had settled on 48 groups “so the matter is settled”.
“If the problem stays open to vary, then the door won’t solely be open to increasing the match to 64 groups, however somebody would possibly come alongside and demand elevating the quantity to 132 groups,” Sheikh Salman stated on the sidelines of the thirty fifth AFC Congress in Kuala Lumpur.
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“The place would we find yourself then? It might change into chaos.”
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin had known as the proposal a “dangerous thought”.
It stays to be seen what stance the FIFA management will tackle the concept however secretary common Mattias Grafstrom stated the world physique would “analyse” the South American proposal.
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