The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico next year. A total of 48 teams will take part in this edition, up from 32 that participated in the last edition in 2022, held in Qatar.
The World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
By the end of the November international break, of 42 of the 48 finalists for the expanded international football showpiece will be known. With the qualifiers still on, 40 nations have already punched their ticket for the 2026 edition of the quadrennial event.
The remaining six spots will be filled by the UEFA and inter-confederation playoffs in March.
Argentina are the defending world champions, while its arch-rival Brazil, with five titles, has won the tournament the most times.
Who has qualified for FIFA World Cup 2026?
Uzbekistan and Jordan were the earliest to book their tickets, each finishing among the top two in their respective groups during the AFC’s third qualification round. Their strong campaigns ensured direct passage and marked a milestone moment for both footballing programs, each celebrating a first-ever appearance on the sport’s biggest stage.
Shortly after, Cape Verde made history of their own, topping their CAF qualifying group ahead of regional heavyweight Cameroon. With a population of just 600,000, the island nation became one of the smallest teams ever to qualify for a World Cup.
That record, however, was short-lived. In November, Curaçao stunned the football world by clinching a World Cup berth and becoming the smallest nation ever to reach the tournament, boasting a population of only around 150,000.
The qualification shakeup also delivered heartbreak for several major footballing nations. Former European champions Greece and perennial African contenders Nigeria both fell out of the running, ending their hopes of reaching the sport’s most prestigious event.
Meanwhile, four-time world champions Italy face a perilous path, having been pushed into the European playoffs alongside 15 other teams battling for just four remaining UEFA spots. In Asia, four-time Arab champions Iraq secured a place in the intercontinental playoffs, keeping their World Cup dream alive.
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List of qualified teams for FIFA World Cup 2026
Co-hosts: Canada, Mexico and USA
Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Europe: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Oceania: New Zealand
Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Curacao, Panama, Haiti
