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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Barnaby Lane

Every Country Making Its First World Cup Appearance in 2026

The 2026 FIFA World Cup—hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico—is the biggest edition of the tournament in history, featuring a record 48 teams.

That expanded format not only brings together the traditional giants of world soccer—defending champions Argentina, five-time winners Brazil, along with England, Germany, Spain and others—but also opens the door for new nations to step onto the world stage for the very first time.

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