2026 FIFA World Cup Teams: List of Qualified Teams
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will have 48 teams, making it the biggest tournament in history. As of November 2025, 42 nations have qualified, and 6 spots remain open.
Teams from Europe, South America, North America, Africa, Asia and Oceania will compete in playoff matches in March 2026 for the final places.
The tournament will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026. After the qualifiers, all 48 teams will play in the final round. The group stage will consist of 12 groups of four teams each.
It will be the first time three nations host the World Cup together. Canada, Mexico and USA will share hosting duties. Matches will take place in 16 cities across North America.
How Many Teams will play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
For the first time, 48 teams will play in the World Cup. This is a big jump from the 32-team format used before. More teams now have a chance to compete.
Here’s how the spots are divided among the continents:
| Continent | Direct Spots | Playoff Spots |
|---|---|---|
| Asia (AFC) | 8 | 1 |
| Africa (CAF) | 9 | 1 |
| Europe (UEFA) | 16 | — |
| North & Central America (CONCACAF) | 6 | 2 |
| South America (CONMEBOL) | 6 | 1 |
| Oceania (OFC) | 1 | 1 |
The last two teams will qualify through intercontinental playoffs, which include six nations from different regions competing for the final spots.
2026 FIFA World Cup Teams (Qualified)
Canada, Mexico and the United States will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. These three countries are already in the tournament because they are hosts. More teams have joined after playing qualification matches in their regions.
Here is the latest list of all 42 qualified teams as of November 2025:
| Team | Qualification Method | FIFA Ranking | Best World Cup Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Host | 14 | Third place (1930) |
| Mexico | Host | 17 | Quarter-finals (1970, 1986) |
| Canada | Host | 32 | Group Stage (1986, 2022) |
| Argentina | CONMEBOL Qualifier | 2 | Winners (1978, 1986, 2022) |
| Brazil | CONMEBOL Qualifier | 6 | Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002) |
| Uruguay | CONMEBOL Qualifier | 11 | Winners (1930, 1950) |
| Colombia | CONMEBOL Qualifier | 15 | Quarter-finals (2014) |
| Ecuador | CONMEBOL Qualifier | 30 | Round of 16 (2006) |
| Paraguay | CONMEBOL Qualifier | 63 | Quarter-finals (2010) |
| Japan | AFC Qualifier | 16 | Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022) |
| South Korea | AFC Qualifier | 23 | Semi-finals (2002) |
| Iran | AFC Qualifier | 19 | Group Stage (6 appearances) |
| Australia | AFC Qualifier | 24 | Round of 16 (2006, 2022) |
| Saudi Arabia | AFC Qualifier | 56 | Round of 16 (1994) |
| Qatar | AFC Qualifier | 34 | Group Stage (2022) |
| Uzbekistan | AFC Qualifier | 60 | First Appearance |
| Jordan | AFC Qualifier | 68 | First Appearance |
| Morocco | CAF Qualifier | 14 | Semi-finals (2022) |
| Senegal | CAF Qualifier | 20 | Quarter-finals (2002) |
| Egypt | CAF Qualifier | 36 | Round of 16 (1934, 1990) |
| Algeria | CAF Qualifier | 35 | Round of 16 (2014) |
| Tunisia | CAF Qualifier | 41 | Group Stage (6 appearances) |
| South Africa | CAF Qualifier | 58 | Group Stage (1998, 2002, 2010) |
| Ivory Coast | CAF Qualifier | 33 | Group Stage (2006, 2010, 2014) |
| Ghana | CAF Qualifier | 64 | Quarter-finals (2010) |
| Cape Verde | CAF Qualifier | 69 | First Appearance |
| New Zealand | OFC Qualifier | 94 | Group Stage (1982, 2010) |
| England | UEFA Qualifier | 4 | Winners (1966) |
| France | UEFA Qualifier | 3 | Winners (1998, 2018) |
| Spain | UEFA Qualifier | 1 | Winners (2010) |
| Germany | UEFA Qualifier | 12 | Winners (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014) |
| Portugal | UEFA Qualifier | 7 | Semi-finals (1966, 2006) |
| Netherlands | UEFA Qualifier | 8 | Runner-up (1974, 1978, 2010) |
| Belgium | UEFA Qualifier | 9 | Semi-finals (2018) |
| Croatia | UEFA Qualifier | 10 | Runner-up (2018), Semi-finals (2022) |
| Switzerland | UEFA Qualifier | 13 | Quarter-finals (1934, 1938, 1954) |
| Austria | UEFA Qualifier | 25 | Semi-finals (1934), Third place (1954) |
| Scotland | UEFA Qualifier | 48 | Group Stage (multiple times) |
| Norway | UEFA Qualifier | 45 | Round of 16 (1994, 1998) |
| Panama | CONCACAF Qualifier | 54 | Group Stage (2018) |
| Curaçao | CONCACAF Qualifier | 83 | First Appearance |
| Haiti | CONCACAF Qualifier | 84 | Group Stage (1974) |
Remaining Spots Up for Grabs
UEFA Playoffs (4 Places Available)
Sixteen nations from Europe are still in the hunt. They will face off in March 2026 to claim the last four European berths:
Top Seeds (Pot 1): Italy, Denmark, Turkey, Wales
Second Seeds (Pot 2): Poland, Ukraine, Czechia, Slovakia
Third Seeds (Pot 3): Republic of Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo
Fourth Seeds (Pot 4): Romania, Sweden, Northern Ireland, North Macedonia
The draw happens on November 20, 2025. Teams will play knockout semi-finals on March 26, followed by finals on March 31, 2026. Winners secure their World Cup ticket.
Inter-Confederation Playoffs (2 Places Available)
Six nations from around the world will battle for the final two tournament spots in March 2026:
Bolivia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia, Suriname
These matches take place in Mexico at two host venues. The format gives the two highest-ranked teams direct entry to the final round. The remaining four nations must win their semi-final to advance and face the top seeds for a chance to reach the World Cup.Retry
FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualification Process
The qualification process is almost complete, with teams competing in different confederations to secure a spot.
Europe (UEFA) – 16 Teams
- Total Teams: 54
- Spots Available: 16
- Start Date: March 21, 2025
- End Date: March 31, 2026
South America (CONMEBOL) – 6 Teams
- Total Teams: 10
- Spots Available: 6
- Start Date: September 7, 2023
- End Date: September 2025
North & Central America (CONCACAF) – 6 Teams
- Total Teams: 32
- Spots Available: 6
- Start Date: March 22, 2024
- End Date: November 2025
Africa (CAF) – 9 Teams
- Total Teams: 53
- Spots Available: 9
- Start Date: November 15, 2023
- End Date: November 2025
Asia (AFC) – 8 Teams
- Total Teams: 46
- Spots Available: 8
- Start Date: October 12, 2023
- End Date: September 2025
Oceania (OFC) – 1 Team
- Total Teams: 11
- Spots Available: 1
- Start Date: September 6, 2024
- End Date: March 24, 2025
How the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group Stage will Work
The 2026 World Cup will have twelve groups. Each group will include four teams. Every team will play three games. The top two teams in each group will move to the next round.
Eight more teams will also move on. These are the best third place teams across all groups.
In total, 32 teams will reach the knockout round.
There will be one hundred four matches in all. Every team will play at least three games.
This setup means more matches, more chances for teams to shine, and a bigger stage for countries making their mark.
Why is the 2026 FIFA World Cup Special?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be historic for several reasons:
- Largest World Cup Ever – With 48 teams, this will be the biggest edition ever.
- First-Ever Three-Host Format – Canada, Mexico, and the USA will share hosting duties.
- More Nations, More Opportunities – The expanded format allows more teams from smaller nations to compete.
- More Matches – A total of 104 games will be played, giving fans more action to enjoy.
- Historic Firsts – Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan will make their World Cup debuts. Curaçao became the smallest nation ever to qualify with a population of just 156,000.
- Long-Awaited Returns – Norway and Scotland qualified for their first World Cup since 1998, while Haiti returned after 51 years.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be a landmark event. With 48 teams competing in 16 cities, this will be football’s biggest tournament yet.
As the qualification process continues, the final 6 teams will secure their places through playoff matches in March 2026.
Stay updated on the latest FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification results, team announcements and match fixtures as we get closer to kick-off.
