FIFA World Cup 26™ qualifiers
Co-hosts: Canada, Mexico, USA
AFC: Australia, IR Iran, Japan, Jordan, Korea Republic, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan
CAF: Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
CONMEBOL: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
OFC: New Zealand
UEFA: England, France, Croatia, Norway, Portugal
(32 of 48 teams).
Play-Off Tournament qualifiers
Bolivia, New Caledonia (2 of 6 teams)
Qualification places
AFC: Eight direct spots + one Play-Off Tournament place
CAF: Nine direct spots + one Play-Off Tournament place
Concacaf: Six direct spots + two Play-Off Tournament places
CONMEBOL: Six direct spots + one Play-Off Tournament place
OFC: One direct spot + one Play-Off Tournament place
UEFA: 16 direct spots
How teams qualified for FIFA World Cup 26
Canada
Canada complete the trio of hosts and the tournament will be the first time that the Maple Leafs have ever reached back-to-back tournaments. Their only previous visits to the competition came in 1986 and 2022, which both brought winless group stage exits.
Mexico
The 2026 World Cup will be the third time that Mexico has played host to the tournament, following 1970 and 1986, meaning El Tri have hosted the event more times than any other country.
This will be the nation’s 18th World Cup, with their previous best performances coming on home soil, as they reached the quarter-finals in both ’70 and ’86.
USA
As co-hosts, USA have automatically qualified for a second consecutive World Cup and will be looking to better their Round of 16 performance at Qatar 2022.
It will be the States’ 12th World Cup and their second on home soil after USA ’94, with their 1930 run to the semi-finals the nation’s best showing at the tournament to date.
Japan
The Samurai Blue eased through qualifying to secure their place at the global showpiece. Japan booked their ticket with three group games left to spare in the third round of the AFC preliminaries and will compete in their eighth successive World Cup.
New Zealand
New Zealand booked their spot at the World Cup by overcoming New Caledonia 3-0 in the OFC qualifying final. The All Whites will compete at the tournament for the third time, having previously qualified for the 1982 and 2010 editions.
IR Iran
Team Melli made it through in dramatic fashion, twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 with Group A rivals Uzbekistan on 25 March. In doing so, the Iranians qualified their fourth successive FIFA World Cup edition.
Argentina
The reigning world champions were the first CONMEBOL team to qualify. They secured their spot on 25 March when when Bolivia drew 0-0 with Uruguay. That result meant Argentina were guaranteed to finish in one of South America’s six automatic World Cup qualification spots.
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan reached their first World Cup after securing a top-two finish in the third round of Asian qualifying on 5 June.
Korea Republic
Korea Republic reached their 11th consecutive World Cup following a convincing 2-0 victory against 10-man Iraq at Basra International Stadium on 5 June.
Jordan
Jordan qualified for their first World Cup on 5 June after they defeated Oman 3-0 in Muscat and Iraq lost to Korea Republic.
Australia
Australia secured their place at a sixth successive World Cup on 10 June following a comeback 2-1 win against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah. It was the first time the nation secured direction qualification since the 2014 campaign.
Ecuador
A scoreless draw against Peru in Lima on 10 June assured Ecuador of qualification with two matches to spare. It will be a fifth global finals this century for La Tri.
Brazil
New coach Carlo Ancelotti led Brazil to a 1-0 win over Paraguay on 10 June. That will maintain the nation’s remarkable record of having feature at every edition of the World Cup.
Uruguay
Marcelo Bielsa has guided Uruguay to their fifth successive World Cup following a comprehensive 3-0 victory against Peru on matchday 17.
Paraguay
For the first time since 2010 Paraguay will participate in the World Cup after securing their spot at next year’s showpiece with a 0-0 draw at home against Ecuador on 4 September.
Colombia
After missing out on Qatar 2022, Colombia are back in the World Cup with talisman James Rodriguez leading his side to a 3-0 triumph over Bolivia on 4 September.
Morocco
The Atlas Lions, who made history for Africa at Qatar 2022, became the first team from the Mother Continent to reach the 2026 showpiece with an emphatic 5-0 win over Niger on 5 September.
Tunisia
The Carthage Eagles booked their place at the global showpiece with two games to spare in Group H with a dramatic last-gasp win away to Equatorial Guinea in Malabo, with their defence having not been breached in their first eight CAF qualifying matches.
Egypt
After missing out on Qatar 2022, Egypt punched their ticket to the global showpiece with a game to spare after posting a 3-0 victory over Djibouti. Talisman Mohamed Salah lead the way as the Pharaohs topped Group A after impressing at both ends during their qualifying campaign.
Algeria
The Desert Foxes booked their World Cup return for the first time since 2014 after a 3-0 victory away to Somalia in their penultimate Group G clash. Riyad Mahrez and Co won seven and drew one of their first nine qualifiers to ensure they could not be caught.
Ghana
This World Cup will mark Ghana’s fifth appearance on football’s biggest stage, having made their debut at Germany 2006. They will be looking improve on their performance in Qatar four years ago when they were eliminated in the group stage. The Black Stars secured their place thanks to their 1-0 victory over Comoros on 12 October to seal top spot in Group I.
Cabo Verde
The Blue Sharks secured their first appearance at the global finals by topping Group D after being pushed all the way by Cameroon. They sealed their place with a 3-0 victory over Eswatini. A country of just over 500,000 people, Cabo Verde have become the second-least populous nation to reach the World Cup, after Iceland at Russia 2018.
South Africa
Bafana Bafana sealed their return to the World Cup, ending a 16-year absence, on 14 October 2025. A 3-0 win over Rwanda on the final day of Group C qualifying took the South Africans past Benin and ensured they finished ahead of Nigeria to secure a guaranteed berth.
Qatar
Akram Afif set up headers for Boualem Khoukhi and Pedro Miguel to send Qatar to World Cup 26. The 2022 hosts, who exited that tournament in the group phase, booked their ticket to North America thanks to a 2-1 victory over United Arab Emirates in the fourth round on 14 October.
England
England booked their place at an eighth successive World Cup after Thomas Tuchel’s side eased through the UEFA preliminaries and qualified with two games to spare. A 5-0 victory over Latvia in Riga on 14 October sealed their return to the global finals, which will be their first on American soil after missing out on USA 1994.
Senegal
The Lions of Teranga qualified for the showpiece after securing first place in Group B of the African preliminaries after a 4-0 victory over Mauritania in their final fixture on 14 October ensured they topped the section ahead of Congo DR. It will be their fourth World Cup appearance.
Côte d’Ivoire
The Elephants secured their place at the World Cup on 14 October with a 3-0 victory over Kenya in their final Group F fixture, ensuring they topped the section ahead of Gabon. Côte d’Ivoire will return to the global finals for first time since 2014.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia reached a third consecutive World Cup following a goalless draw with Iraq on 14 October. The Green Falcons, who famously upset Argentina at Qatar 2022, will now look to equal and eclipse their best campaign: a run to the last 16 at USA 1994.
France
Les Bleus were the second European team to secure qualification, claiming top spot in Group F with a 4-0 victory over Ukraine on an emotional night at the Parc des Princes, where Kylian Mbappe scored twice.
Croatia
Croatia quickly followed in the footsteps of their fellow Russia 2018 finalists, coming from behind to defeat the Faroe Islands 3-1 in Rijeka to rubber-stamp their position atop Group L with a match to spare.
Portugal
Portugal captured the top spot in Group F of UEFA qualifying in style with an emphatic 9-1 win over Armenia on the final matchday to reach their ninth World Cup.
Norway
Norway are back in the World Cup for the first time since 1998 after finishing in first place in Group I of UEFA qualifying. They sealed the deal thanks to an impressive 4-1 win over Italy in Milan on the final matchday.
