Footballs  world  governing  body FIFA is looking at a surprise proposal from South American Soccer to expand the Men’s 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, thereby doubling the size of the 2022 edition in Qatar.

“A proposal to analyze a 64-team fifa world cup to celebrate the centenary of the FIFA World Cup in 2030 was spontaneously raised by FIFA Council Member Ignacio Alonso  of  Uruguay   in the ‘miscellaneous’ agenda item near the end of the fifa council meeting  in  Geneva  yesterday.

FIFA  says the idea was acknowledged as FIFA has a duty to analyze any proposal from one of its council members.

Uruguay was the original World Cup host and trophy winner in 1930 and is scheduled to host one game at the Centenary tournament.

The first 48-team tournament will be played next year in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The 2030 World Cup is already set to be the most sprawling edition with six host nations spread across three continents.

FIFA gave no timetable for a review of the proposal or a  possible decision. 

Paraguay’s capital Asuncion hosts the next FIFA Congress of 211 member federation in May.