2026 FIFA World Cup Teams (Qualified List)
For the first time, 48 teams will compete in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Forty-two teams have already qualified and the remaining nations are still fighting for the last 6 spots. This historic tournament will be hosted across three North American countries: Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The tournament will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
Excitement is growing every day. The 48 teams will be divided into 12 groups of four. Each team will play three matches in the group stage. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will move on to the knockout stage.
The knockout stage will feature the Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and the Final. All knockout games are single elimination—lose and you’re out.
This World Cup is set to be the most competitive in history, with 104 matches, a record number of teams, and the brand-new Round of 32.
The qualification journey is still ongoing. On this page, we will continue updating the full list of qualified teams as they secure their spots.
Host Countries (Automatic Qualification)
Three nations automatically qualify because they’re hosting the event:
- United States: Ranked 14th globally; their best finish was third place in 1930.
- Mexico: Ranked 17th; previously reached quarter-finals twice in 1970 and 1986.
- Canada: Ranked 32nd; previously appeared in the group stages in 1986 and 2022.
List of Qualified Teams for the FIFA World Cup 26
Currently, 42 teams have qualified. An additional 6 teams will earn their spots through challenging playoff matches in March 2026. Bookmark this page to stay updated on all the qualifying teams. We will regularly update this list to ensure you have the latest information. Here’s the complete list:
| No. | Team | Method of Qualification | Approx. FIFA Rank | Best World Cup Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇺🇸 United States | Host | ~14 | Third place (1930) |
| 2 | 🇲🇽 Mexico | Host | ~17 | Quarter-finals (1970, 1986) |
| 3 | 🇨🇦 Canada | Host | ~32 | Group stage (1986, 2022) |
| 4 | 🇯🇵 Japan | AFC Qualifier | ~16 | Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022) |
| 5 | 🇮🇷 Iran | AFC Qualifier | ~19 | Group stage (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022) |
| 6 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | AFC Qualifier | ~23 | Semi-finals (2002) |
| 7 | 🇦🇺 Australia | AFC Qualifier | ~24 | Round of 16 (2006, 2022) |
| 8 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | AFC Qualifier | ~56 | Round of 16 (1994) |
| 9 | 🇶🇦 Qatar | AFC Qualifier | ~34 | Group stage (2022) |
| 10 | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | AFC Qualifier | ~60 | First appearance |
| 11 | 🇯🇴 Jordan | AFC Qualifier | ~68 | First appearance |
| 12 | 🇦🇷 Argentina | CONMEBOL Qualifier | ~2 | Winner (1978, 1986, 2022) |
| 13 | 🇧🇷 Brazil | CONMEBOL Qualifier | ~6 | Winner (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002) |
| 14 | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | CONMEBOL Qualifier | ~11 | Winner (1930, 1950) |
| 15 | 🇨🇴 Colombia | CONMEBOL Qualifier | ~15 | Quarter-finals (2014) |
| 16 | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | CONMEBOL Qualifier | ~30 | Round of 16 (2006) |
| 17 | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | CONMEBOL Qualifier | ~63 | Quarter-finals (2010) |
| 18 | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | OFC Qualifier | ~94 | Group stage (1982, 2010) |
| 19 | 🇲🇦 Morocco | CAF Qualifier | ~14 | Semi-finals (2022) |
| 20 | 🇸🇳 Senegal | CAF Qualifier | ~20 | Quarter-finals (2002) |
| 21 | 🇪🇬 Egypt | CAF Qualifier | ~36 | Round of 16 (1934, 1990) |
| 22 | 🇩🇿 Algeria | CAF Qualifier | ~35 | Round of 16 (2014) |
| 23 | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | CAF Qualifier | ~41 | Group stage (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022) |
| 24 | 🇿🇦 South Africa | CAF Qualifier | ~58 | Group stage (1998, 2002, 2010) |
| 25 | 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast | CAF Qualifier | ~33 | Group stage (2006, 2010, 2014) |
| 26 | 🇬🇭 Ghana | CAF Qualifier | ~64 | Quarter-finals (2010) |
| 27 | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | CAF Qualifier | ~69 | First appearance |
| 28 | 🏴 England | UEFA Qualifier | ~4 | Winner (1966) |
| 29 | 🇫🇷 France | UEFA Qualifier | ~3 | Winner (1998, 2018) |
| 30 | 🇪🇸 Spain | UEFA Qualifier | ~1 | Winner (2010) |
| 31 | 🇩🇪 Germany | UEFA Qualifier | ~12 | Winner (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014) |
| 32 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | UEFA Qualifier | ~7 | Semi-finals (1966, 2006) |
| 33 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | UEFA Qualifier | ~8 | Runner-up (1974, 1978, 2010) |
| 34 | 🇧🇪 Belgium | UEFA Qualifier | ~9 | Semi-finals (2018) |
| 35 | 🇭🇷 Croatia | UEFA Qualifier | ~10 | Runner-up (2018), Semi-finals (2022) |
| 36 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | UEFA Qualifier | ~13 | Quarter-finals (1934, 1938, 1954) |
| 37 | 🇦🇹 Austria | UEFA Qualifier | ~25 | Semi-finals (1934), Third place (1954) |
| 38 | 🏴 Scotland | UEFA Qualifier | ~48 | Group stage (multiple times) |
| 39 | 🇳🇴 Norway | UEFA Qualifier | ~45 | Round of 16 (1994, 1998) |
| 40 | 🇵🇦 Panama | CONCACAF Qualifier | ~54 | Group stage (2018) |
| 41 | 🇨🇼 Curaçao | CONCACAF Qualifier | ~83 | First appearance |
| 42 | 🇭🇹 Haiti | CONCACAF Qualifier | ~84 | Group stage (1974) |
Last updated: November 20, 2025.
Also Check: FIFA World Cup 2026 full Schedule
Allocation of Spots by Region
Here is how FIFA has divided spots among different continents:
Asia (AFC) – 8 Direct Spots + 1 Playoff Spot
- Total Teams: 46
- Spots Available: 8+1
- Start Date: October 12, 2023
- End Date: November 2025
Africa (CAF) – 9 Direct Spots + 1 Playoff Spot
- Total Teams: 53
- Spots Available: 9+1
- Start Date: November 13, 2023
- End Date: November 2025
North & Central America (CONCACAF) – 6 Direct Spots + 2 Playoff Spots
- Total Teams: 32
- Spots Available: 6+2
- Start Date: March 2024
- End Date: November 2025
South America (CONMEBOL) – 6 Direct Spots + 1 Playoff Spot
- Total Teams: 10
- Spots Available: 6+1
- Start Date: September 2023
- End Date: September 2025
Oceania (OFC) – 1 Direct Spot + 1 Playoff Spot
- Total Teams: 11
- Spots Available: 1+1
- Start Date: September 2024
- End Date: March 2025
Europe (UEFA) – 16 Direct Spots
- Total Teams: 54
- Spots Available: 16
- Start Date: March 21, 2025
- End Date: March 31, 2026
FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualification Process
The qualification process is different for each continent. Teams play regional matches organized by their continental football associations. Here’s how teams qualify:
Asia (AFC): Teams compete in groups. Winners and best runners-up qualify directly, while one team goes into playoffs.
Africa (CAF): Teams compete in groups followed by knockout rounds. Top teams qualify directly, with one playoff spot available.
North & Central America (CONCACAF): Teams play through several rounds of qualification, with hosts automatically qualifying.
South America (CONMEBOL): All teams compete in one large group, with the top teams qualifying directly and one entering playoffs.
Oceania (OFC): Teams compete in group and knockout stages, with the top team qualifying directly and one team entering playoffs.
Europe (UEFA): Teams are divided into groups, and group winners qualify directly. Additional teams qualify through playoffs.
Teams Still Fighting for Playoff Spots
UEFA Playoffs (4 spots available)
16 European teams will compete in March 2026 for the final 4 UEFA spots:
Pot 1: Italy, Denmark, Turkey, Wales
Pot 2: Poland, Ukraine, Czechia, Slovakia
Pot 3: Republic of Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo
Pot 4: Romania, Sweden, Northern Ireland, North Macedonia
Semi-finals will be played on March 26 and finals on March 31, 2026.
Intercontinental Playoffs (2 spots available)
Six teams will compete for the final two World Cup berths in March 2026:
Bolivia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia, and Suriname
The playoffs will be held at two venues in Mexico. The top two ranked teams get byes to the finals, while the other four teams compete in semifinals.
FAQ: 2026 World Cup – Quick and Simple Answers
Have all the teams made it in yet?
Nope, not yet. So far, 42 teams have locked in their spots. The remaining 6 are still fighting for a place through playoffs in March 2026.
How many teams will get in through intercontinental playoffs?
Two teams will grab the last spots through those playoffs.
How do the intercontinental playoffs work?
Six teams are involved. First, four of them face off. The two winners from that round go up against the two top-ranked teams. Whoever wins those last two matches gets into the World Cup.
How many groups will there be?
There’ll be 12 groups, each with four teams.
How many matches are we talking about in total?
The whole tournament will have 104 matches. Yep, it’s going to be huge!
Will Messi play?
Hard to say right now. Messi hasn’t confirmed anything. He’ll decide closer to the time, depending on how he’s feeling and if he’s up for it.
When and where’s the first match?
The first game kicks off on June 11, 2026, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Cool thing – this stadium also hosted the openers in 1970 and 1986. 2026 will make it the first to do it three times!
When is the World Cup draw?
The draw takes place on December 5, 2025, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
What is the mascot of the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has three mascots. Clutch the Bald Eagle from the United States, Maple the Moose from Canada, and Zayu the Jaguar from Mexico. They show the friendship and unity of the host countries.