FIFA has fired up the ovens of controversy once again: inside Trump Tower in New York, Gianni Infantino quietly baked an explosive recipe for the 2030 World Cup. The plan —still half-baked— is to expand from 48 to 64 teams, doubling the party and multiplying the headaches.
The backdrop is symbolic: the presidents of Uruguay and Paraguay flew to Manhattan to demand that the centenary not be just a champagne toast, but a full banquet with entire groups staged in South America. One ceremonial match each, as agreed, tastes like crumbs.
🎠Infantino, the pastry chef
Infantino plays the star chef: offering extra slices for the small guests (the 211 federations with votes) and promising everyone a place at the table. But the price is steep: a XXL World Cup that horrifies Ceferin (UEFA) and Montagliani (Concacaf), the guardians of European and North American football.
From Europe it looks like an indigestible binge, “blatant expansionism” that threatens to upset the Champions League’s delicate balance. Concacaf already struggled to swallow the 48-team 2026 edition, and now rejects another oversized dish.
🏟️ A layered cake through history
World Cup history has always been an expanding cake:
- 1930: 13 teams (Uruguay baked the first edition).
- 1934-1978: 16 guests.
- 1982: expanded to 24.
- 1998: rose to 32.
- 2026: will be 48.
- 2030: Infantino dreams of 64 candles blown at once.
The excuse? The centenary. Conmebol’s DomĂnguez put it with humor: “Not every birthday is the same. When I turned 50, my family threw me a very different party. And the 2030 World Cup shouldn’t be just any little gathering.”
🇺🇾🇵🇾🇦🇷 South American front
Uruguay and Paraguay are pressing hard, with presidents in tow. Argentina sent Chiqui Tapia instead, while President Milei watched from the political bleachers. The message is clear: if there’s cake, they want a full group-stage slice, not just crumbs.
âš˝ The political scoreboard
With 211 federations voting one head, one vote, the math is tempting: more teams mean more nations celebrating, more revenue flowing… and more votes secured for Infantino.
The problem? The cake can’t expand forever: too many slices risk ruining the taste and making the tournament indigestible.
🎬 Curtain call with spice
At Trump Tower, under golden mirrors and thick carpets, a giant World Cup was discussed. Europe chokes, South America insists, and FIFA grins. As always, the final recipe will be decided by Infantino, determined to turn the World Cup from a tournament into an all-you-can-eat buffet.
✍️©2025 Pepe Offside – All Rights Reserved
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