2026 World Cup: 42 Teams Officially Qualify for Expanded Tournament

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.

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, with La Albiceleste blitzing the competition in qualifying.

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.

Here’s the list of every country qualified or invited to the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

Of course, there are still plenty of UEFA nations to be confirmed at next summer’s tournament. There have been 12 qualifiers to date, with four more countries from Europe yet to be confirmed—Italy will once again have to endure the playoffs, which are taking place next March.

The bulk of AFC qualification has been completed, with Iraq securing their place in the inter-confederation play-offs with a two-legged win over the United Arab Emirates.

The second round of CAF qualification has now been completed, with four nations vying for a spot in the inter-confederation play-offs during the November break. DR Congo edged Nigeria on penalties to keep their World Cup hopes alive.

Three CONCACAF slots have been taken up by the host nations, meaning just three remain for nations via qualifying. The likes of Curaçao, Honduras and Suriname are among the front-runners to reach the tournament automatically, although there will also be a place up for grabs in the inter-confederation play-offs.

CONMEBOL qualifying concluded in September, with six teams booking a direct place in the World Cup. For seventh-placed Bolivia, they will be forced to compete in the inter-confederation play-off,

New Zealand are the only OFC team guaranteed to play at the World Cup, but New Caledonia will compete in the inter-confederation play-off as well. They will be enormous underdogs against Bolivia and one as yet unknown nation from both AFC and CAF.

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