Who Has Qualified for 2026 World Cup? 42 of 48 Teams Confirmed

Keep track of every country qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup taking place in North America.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy. / IMAGO/ULMER Pressebildagentur

The 2026 FIFA World Cup field is taking shape as the United States, Canada and Mexico prepare to host the world’s biggest sporting event.

The World Cup returns to the United States for the first time since 1994. The USMNT, Canadian and Mexican national teams were all invited to the tournament as host nations. The three co-host nations will be joined by 45 other qualifying countries making up a 48-team field for the first time in the competition’s history.

Here is a full breakdown of which teams have qualified and who can still make it.

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Which Countries Have Qualified for the 2026 World Cup?

Japan became the first country outside of the host nations to qualify for the tournament, booking their ticket all the way back in March. They were joined by New Zealand, Iran and defending world champions Argentina later in the month.

The June international period saw six more nations qualify, including World Cup debutants Uzbekistan and Jordan from the AFC. Competition regulars South Korea and Australia also confirmed their place from the AFC, while five-time world champions Brazil secured their spot alongside fellow South Americans Ecuador.

Three more CONMEBOL sides were confirmed in September as the first ever world champions Uruguay were joined by Colombia and Paraguay. The first African representatives at next summer’s tournament were also confirmed, with Morocco, who reached the semifinals in 2022, and Tunisia qualifying.

A healthy band of countries added their name to the growing list of qualifiers in October, including former world champions England who became the first UEFA nation to make the tournament, eventually followed by 1998 and 2018 champions France. There will be a debut for Cape Verde at the tournament, who are joined by Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, South Africa, Ivory Coast and Senegal from CAF. 2022 competition hosts Qatar and 2034 hosts Saudi Arabia also qualified in October.

Haiti, Panama and Curaçao all qualified in November to round out the six CONCACAF teams at the tournament alongside the three host nations.

As things stand, there are now only six places still up for grabs.


World Cup 2026: Every Qualified Country

Vinicius Junior
Brazil have appeared at every World Cup. / Etsuo Hara/Getty Images

Country

Confederation

Canada (Host)

CONCACAF

Mexico (Host)

CONCACAF

USMNT (Host)

CONCACAF

Haiti

CONCACAF

Panama

CONCACAF

Curaçao

CONCACAF

Australia

AFC

Iran

AFC

Japan

AFC

Jordan

AFC

Qatar

AFC

Saudi Arabia

AFC

South Korea

AFC

Uzbekistan

AFC

Algeria

CAF

Cape Verde

CAF

Egypt

CAF

Ghana

CAF

Ivory Coast

CAF

Morocco

CAF

Senegal

CAF

South Africa

CAF

Tunisia

CAF

Argentina

CONMEBOL

Brazil

CONMEBOL

Colombia

CONMEBOL

Ecuador

CONMEBOL

Paraguay

CONMEBOL

Uruguay

CONMEBOL

New Zealand

OFC

England

UEFA

France

UEFA

Croatia

UEFA

Portugal

UEFA

Norway

UEFA

Netherlands

UEFA

Germany

UEFA

Austria

UEFA

Scotland

UEFA

Switzerland

UEFA

Spain

UEFA

Belgium

UEFA


World Cup 2026 Qualification Breakdown

Confederation

2022 Teams

2026 Teams (TBC)

AFC

6

8

CAF

5

9

CONCACAF

4

6 (3 +3 hosts)

CONMEBOL

4

6

OFC

0

1

UEFA

13

16

PlayOffs

0

2

Total

32

48


Which Nations Can Still Qualify?

Bruno Fernandes, Gonçalo Ramos
Portugal secured their place at the tournament on the final matchday. / Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images

There have been 12 qualifiers to date from UEFA, with four more countries to be confirmed via the playoffs in March—Italy will once again have to qualify via this route after failing to win their qualifying group.

CONMEBOL qualifying concluded in September with Brazil, who have appeared at every World Cup, one of six countries to book a direct place. For seventh-placed Bolivia, they will compete in the inter-confederation playoff.

Three CONCACAF slots have been taken up by the host nations—Curaçao, Haiti and Panama have also secured their place at the 2026 tournament. Jamaica and Suriname are in the inter-confederation playoffs.

New Zealand are the only OFC team guaranteed to play at the World Cup, but New Caledonia will compete in the inter-confederation playoff as well. They will be enormous underdogs, however.

Eight countries have secured their World Cup spot via AFC qualification, with Iraq competing in the inter-confederation playoffs thanks a two-legged win over the United Arab Emirates.

DR Congo are the playoffs representative from CAF—nine other countries have already punched their ticket to the World Cup.


What Teams Are Involved in the UEFA Playoffs?

  • Slovakia
  • Ukraine
  • Republic of Ireland
  • Poland
  • Italy
  • Albania
  • Czechia
  • Romania
  • Sweden
  • Northern Ireland
  • Denmark
  • Türkiye
  • Kosovo
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Wales
  • North Macedonia

What Teams Are Involved in the Inter-Confederation Playoffs?

  • DR Congo
  • Bolivia
  • New Caledonia
  • Iraq
  • Jamaica
  • Suriname

World Cup 2026 Tickets


World Cup 2026 Stadiums: Full List

MetLife Stadium
MetLife Stadium will host the 2026 World Cup final. / Matthew Ashton/AMA/Getty Images
  • MetLife Stadium: East Rutherford, NJ
  • AT&T Stadium: Dallas, TX
  • GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium: Kansas City, Missouri
  • NRG Stadium: Houston, TX
  • Mercedes-Benz Stadium: Atlanta, GA
  • SoFi Stadium: Inglewood, CA
  • Lincoln Financial Field: Philadelphia, PA
  • Lumen Field: Seattle, WA
  • Levi's Stadium: San Francisco, CA
  • Gillette Stadium: Foxborough, MA
  • Hard Rock Stadium: Miami, FL
  • BC Place: Vancouver, Canada
  • BMO Field: Toronto, Canada
  • Estadio Azteca: Mexico City, Mexico
  • Estadio BBVA: Monterrey, Mexico
  • Estadio Akron: Guadalajara, Mexico

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Max Mallow
MAX MALLOW

Max Mallow is an associate editor for Sports Illustrated, primarily working on the SI FC brand.