Chaos if World Cup has 64 teams: AFC chief

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, on April 12 opposed a South American request to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, saying such increases in numbers would lead to "chaos".

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KUALA LUMPUR - Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, on April 12 opposed a South American request to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, saying such increases in numbers would lead to "chaos".

The centenary edition, hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco with three matches also being staged in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, is already set to welcome 48 teams - a far cry from the 13 in the inaugural event in Uruguay in 1930.

"Personally, I don't agree," the Bahraini leader told AFP, adding that they had agreed on 48 teams for the 2030 edition, "so the matter is settled".

His counterpart from South American football's governing body Conmebol, Alejandro Dominguez, on April 10 called on Fifa to expand the event in a one-off gesture. He also asked for South America to host the first round of one of the groups, instead of just three matches. The global event is due to expand from 32 to 48 teams at the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.