The countdown to the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup is on, with 16 cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico set to host the tournament from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
This edition marks a historic first—the tournament has expanded to 48 teams, up from the traditional 32, making it the largest FIFA World Cup in history.
The journey began with the automatic qualification of the three host nations—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—but the global race for qualification has since heated up, producing new contenders and storylines.
As of mid-June 2025, 13 teams have officially secured their spots, ranging from reigning champions Argentina to debutants like Jordan and Uzbekistan.
However, the full list of participants is far from complete. Major confederations such as UEFA (Europe) and CAF (Africa) have yet to finalize their qualifiers, with crucial matches and campaigns set to unfold in the coming months.
Which Teams Have Qualified for the 2026 World Cup?
(as of June 14, 2025)
| Pot | Country | Confederation | Qualification Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot 1 | 🇲🇽 Mexico | CONCACAF | Host Nation |
| Pot 1 | 🇺🇸 United States | CONCACAF | Host Nation |
| Pot 1 | 🇨🇦 Canada | CONCACAF | Host Nation |
| Pot 2 | 🇯🇵 Japan | AFC | AFC Qualifier |
| Pot 2 | 🇮🇷 Iran | AFC | AFC Qualifier |
| Pot 2 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | AFC | AFC Qualifier |
| Pot 2 | 🇦🇺 Australia | AFC | AFC Qualifier |
| Pot 3 | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | AFC | AFC Qualifier |
| Pot 4 | 🇯🇴 Jordan | AFC | AFC Qualifier |
| Pot 4 | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | OFC | OFC Qualifier |
How many qualification spots does each confederation get for the 2026 World Cup?
- AFC (Asia): 8 direct qualification spots + 1 inter-confederation playoff spot
- CAF (Africa): 9 direct qualification spots + 1 inter-confederation playoff spot
- CONCACAF (North, Central America & Caribbean): 3 direct qualification spots + 3 host spots + 2 inter-confederation playoff spots
- CONMEBOL (South America): 6 direct qualification spots + 1 inter-confederation playoff spot
- OFC (Oceania): 1 direct qualification spot + 1 inter-confederation playoff spot
- UEFA (Europe): 16 direct qualification spots
Which nations are close to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup?
From the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Iran and Uzbekistan (Group A), South Korea and Jordan (Group B), as well as Japan and Australia (Group C), have all secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The remaining six teams — United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iraq, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia — will compete in two centralized final-round groups, hosted by Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The winners of each group will qualify directly, while the runners-up will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs for another shot at World Cup qualification.
No team has officially qualified yet from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), but several nations — including Egypt, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Tunisia, and Ghana — are firmly leading their respective groups.
Only the top team from each of the nine groups will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup. While the race is still mathematically open, these current leaders hold strong advantages and are edging closer to sealing their spots.
No team has officially qualified yet from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), but several nations — including Honduras, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Panama, Jamaica, and Suriname — have topped their groups and advanced to the final qualifying round.
Only the top three teams from the upcoming Hexagonal round will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, while the fourth-placed team will head to the inter-confederation playoffs. The final stage begins in late 2025, with these teams now one step closer to booking their place.
In South America (CONMEBOL), Argentina has officially qualified for the 2026 World Cup, finishing top of the table with 35 points.
Close behind are Ecuador (25 pts), Brazil (25 pts), Uruguay (24 pts), and Paraguay (24 pts) — all well-positioned for the four direct qualification spots. Colombia (22 pts) and Venezuela (18 pts) remain firmly in contention, especially for the fifth-place inter-confederation playoff spot.
The top 6 teams qualify — with the top 4 earning direct qualification and the 5th-placed team heading to a playoff.
New Zealand, from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), has secured the region’s only direct spot for the 2026 World Cup. New Caledonia remains in contention through the inter-confederation playoff route.
When is the 2026 World Cup draw?
The Official Draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage is scheduled for December 2025, and it will take place in the Greater New York City area, specifically at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
