Iker Casillas Calls for 64-Team FIFA World Cup Expansion

Legendary Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas has called on FIFA to expand the FIFA World Cup to 64 teams, arguing that the current qualification format involving the best third-placed teams is flawed.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup marked the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 nations, an increase from the traditional 32-team format that had been in place since 1998. The expanded competition also introduced a new knockout qualification system, with the top two teams from each of the 12 groups advancing alongside the eight best third-placed teams to complete the Round of 32.

While the new format has increased global representation, it has also sparked debate over the fairness of allowing third-placed teams to progress.

Casillas believes a further expansion would provide a more straightforward solution than relying on rankings among third-placed sides.

Taking to X, the former Real Madrid and Spain captain wrote: “We have to go to 64 teams in the World Cup. This ‘best 3rd place’ stuff doesn’t add up for me.”

The proposal is likely to divide opinion among football fans. Supporters of a larger tournament argue that expanding to 64 teams would give more nations the opportunity to compete on football’s biggest stage while eliminating the need for comparisons between third-placed teams across different groups.

However, critics have raised concerns that further expansion could reduce the overall quality of the competition, place greater demands on players through an even longer tournament, and diminish the prestige of qualifying for the World Cup.

FIFA has not indicated any plans to expand the tournament beyond the 48-team format introduced for the 2026 edition, but Casillas’ comments are expected to reignite debate over the future structure of football’s biggest global competition.