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Sports Illustrated

Sport

Max Mallow

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

World Cup Brazil FIFA World Cup Mexico Canada World Cup 2026

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.

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

IF THE LIST OF QUALIFIED TEAMS HAS NOT UPDATED ABOVE, CLICK HERE!

World Cup 2026 Qualification Breakdown

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.