UEFA presented a proposal to reform the qualifying phase of the 2030 World Cup and Euro 2032. The objective: reduce the gap between strong and weak teams, making the matches more competitive.
The format takes as a reference that of the Champions League. The 36 best-ranked teams would play in three groups of 12, with six games each against different rivals. They would be arranged in a single league table, similar to the group stage of the Champions League.
Aleksander Ceferin, president of UEFA, announced last year that he would seek to revitalize the interest of fans and television stations. Recent results, such as France’s 14-0 win over Gibraltar or Austria’s 10-0 win over San Marino, set off alarm bells.
Separate categories
Teams from 37th to 55th in the UEFA ranking would compete in a separate category. From there they could access the big tournaments through playoffs. The measure seeks to avoid unbalanced duels without eliminating the possibility of surprises.
The proposed schedule would not add extra games. It would adjust to the international windows from September to November, as stipulated by FIFA.
UEFA reported, after a meeting of the executive committee in Istanbul, that it expects a final decision in September.
“The idea will be adjusted in the coming months before being presented for final approval of the detailed format at the next Executive Committee meeting,” the body said.
It has not yet been defined how many direct places each group of 12 would grant. The 2030 World Cup, organized by Spain, Portugal and Morocco – with three opening matches in South America – will have 48 teams. Europe would receive 16 tickets.
FIFA received a request from CONMEBOL to evaluate the possibility of expanding the tournament to 64 teams. UEFA’s reform responds to the need to maintain interest in qualifying phases that have become predictable.
