With Croatia's qualification, the list of 30 teams that have secured their spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is now complete. This edition is exceptional, as it will be the first to feature 48 teams and be hosted across three nations.
Qualified Teams by Confederation:
Host Nations (Qualified Automatically):
United States, Canada, Mexico. (3)
Asia (AFC):
Australia, South Korea, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia. (8)
Oceania (OFC):
New Zealand. (1)
South America (CONMEBOL):
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay. (6)
Africa (CAF):
Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Cape Verde, South Africa, Senegal, Ivory Coast. (9)
Europe (UEFA):
England, France, Croatia. (3)
Historic First Appearances:
The 2026 World Cup will be a historic stage for the first-ever final tournament appearances of:
Cape Verde
Uzbekistan
Jordan
The Final Battle: The Remaining 18 Slots
A total of 18 slots are still up for grabs and will be determined through a series of decisive inter-confederation playoffs.
Asia (AFC): 2 additional slots.
4 Asian teams (that did not qualify directly) will play home-and-away matches to determine the two winners.
Africa (CAF): 1 additional slot.
4 African teams (that did not qualify directly) will enter a final playoff in a single host country to determine the winner.
North America (CONCACAF): 2 additional slots.
4 teams from the region (that did not qualify directly as hosts) will enter a playoff to determine the two winners.
Oceania (OFC): 1 additional slot.
2 teams from the region (that did not qualify directly) will play home-and-away matches to determine the winner.
South America (CONMEBOL): 1 additional slot.
The 6th-placed team from the South American qualifiers will automatically enter this playoff.
Final Global Playoff (6 slots):
This round will bring together 6 teams from different confederations (except UEFA). They will be split into two paths, with the winner of each of the three mini-tournaments in a path qualifying for the World Cup.
New Tournament Format:
The competition will see a radical change in its format:
The 48 teams will be divided into 12 groups of four teams each.
The top two teams from each group will qualify directly for the Round of 32.
The bracket will be completed by the best 8 third-placed teams, meaning 32 teams advance to the knockout stages.
Tournament Dates:
Opening Match: June 11, 2026, at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
Final Match: July 19, 2026, at the MetLife Stadium in the New York/New Jersey area, USA.
With this, the 2026 World Cup blends the confirmation of footballing giants with the welcome of new faces, all while preparing for its most expansive chapter yet, promising unprecedented global competition and excitement.