Boca on alert: FIFA could expand the 2029 Club World Cup | OneFootball

Boca's highest international ambition has a new ingredient following an imminent format change by world football’s governing body. The expansion of the tournament opens an unavoidable window of opportunity for the blue and gold institution in its quest to return to the elite, as it did in 2025.

FIFA has practically decided to increase the number of spots in its premier club competition, going from 32 to 48 participating teams for the 2029 edition. The main argument behind this aggressive move is purely commercial, seeking to raise the tournament’s value through the inclusion of more powerhouses and greatly facilitate the sale of TV and advertising rights.

This decision stems from strong pressure exerted by elite European clubs such as Barcelona, Manchester United, and Liverpool, who suffered the frustration of missing out in 2025. By expanding the list of participants, the tournament will gain even more prestige, as happened with the national team World Cup currently being played in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

The Club World Cup would add more participating teams.

As journalist Matt Hughes revealed in The Guardian, FIFA agreed to create a joint venture with the lobbying group European Football Clubs (EFC). This strategic commercial alliance aims to drastically boost the business side and will rapidly drive the expansion to 48 spots when the event is held again at the end of this decade.

For the leadership of the blue and gold institution, this news does not go unnoticed, since adding more spots would mean greater qualification opportunities for our region. The figures involved in the competition are enormous, especially considering that in the inaugural edition the European champion earned close to 115 million dollars.

Securing a place would guarantee huge income from the new global television deal valued at 1 billion dollars with various streaming networks. These massive amounts represent exactly the financial leap the Boquense side needs to build a strong economy and retain its top stars in the face of constant pressure from foreign markets.

Boca’s difficult current path to qualifying for the 2029 Club World Cup

Despite the good news on the organizational front, the harsh sporting reality demands an immediate and forceful reaction from the club from La Ribera. Currently, the outlook in the Conmebol ranking looks extremely complicated, since the early continental elimination in the 2026 season left the institution with only 10 points accumulated, far from the direct qualification spots led by the Brazilian teams.

Boca wants to be in the next Club World Cup.

With no margin for error in the coming years, Boca is fully aware that the team must urgently make a radical turnaround on the international stage. To secure a place in this new mega tournament, the Boquense side is almost forced to win the Copa Libertadores in the 2027 or 2028 editions or, failing that, put together perfect campaigns by reaching the decisive stages that would allow it to climb drastically in the standings.

Keep reading:

Is Boca’s dream over? In Italy, Paulo Dybala’s contract renewal with Roma is considered a done deal

Boca officially unveiled its first signing: Leandro Lozano

The Uruguayan playing at the 2026 World Cup who is being linked with Boca

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.