Africa
Four of the nine automatic qualifying spots have been claimed, while the four best runners-up will compete in November’s pan-African playoffs for a place in the intercontinental playoffs.
Egypt
Mohamed Salah scored twice as Egypt defeated Djibouti 3-0 in Casablanca on Wednesday, securing their place in the finals with one match still to play and making up for missing the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This will be Egypt’s fourth World Cup appearance, though they have never won a match. Interestingly, Egypt qualified for the inaugural World Cup in 1930 but missed their ship from Marseille to South America due to a storm delay.
Morocco
After winning over neutral fans in the last tournament, Morocco became the first African nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup with a 5-0 victory over Niger in Rabat on September 5. The 2022 semi-finalists secured their spot from Group E with two games left after Tanzania drew 1-1 with Congo-Brazzaville. Morocco has now reached the finals six times and will co-host the 2030 World Cup with Portugal and Spain, with the opening matches taking place in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.
Tunisia
Similarly, Tunisia qualified from Group H with two matches to spare. A late winner by Mohamed Ben Romdhane and strong goalkeeping from Aymen Dahmen against Equatorial Guinea in Malabo ensured their seventh World Cup qualification, though they have never advanced past the group stage.
Algeria
Algeria secured their place with a comfortable 3-0 win over Somalia on Thursday. Mohamed Amoura scored twice, bringing his qualifying total to eight goals, while captain Riyad Mahrez added another. The victory put them four points ahead of Uganda in Group G with one match remaining. This will be Algeria’s fifth World Cup appearance and their first since 2014 in Brazil.
View the full CAF standings here.
Asia
Six of the eight nations have qualified directly, with one more spot available through a regional playoff in November, followed by an intercontinental playoff.
Australia
Australia qualified in June after coming from behind to beat Saudi Arabia in Jeddah. Connor Metcalfe equalized just before halftime, and Mitch Duke headed in the winner from a Martin Boyle free-kick early in the second half. After earlier draws with Bahrain and Indonesia, Australia finished strongly with wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia to secure their sixth consecutive World Cup.
Iran
In a dramatic match on March 25, Iran came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Uzbekistan in Group A, thanks to two goals from Mehdi Taremi. Iran first qualified in 1978 but has never progressed beyond the group stage in six attempts. Their most memorable moment was a 2-1 win over the USA in the 1998 World Cup, which sparked celebrations in Tehran. The two teams met again in Qatar, where the U.S. won 1-0 with a Christian Pulisic goal.
Japan
Japan sailed through their qualifying campaign, securing their place with three group games left. They became the first team to qualify by beating Bahrain 2-0 in Saitama, with second-half goals from Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo. This will be Japan’s eighth straight World Cup. In Qatar, they reached the round of 16 but lost to Croatia on penalties.
Jordan
Jordan celebrated their first-ever World Cup qualification on June 5 after Ali Olwan’s hat-trick secured a 3-0 win over Oman in Muscat, combined with South Korea’s 2-0 victory over Iraq. King Abdullah II was seen wearing a national team jersey while watching the match from the Jordanian embassy in London.
South Korea
South Korea qualified for their 11th consecutive World Cup.South Korea secured a victory against 10-man Iraq at Basra Stadium on June 5, in what is likely to be Son Heung-min’s final international tournament. The Tottenham star and captain of the Taegeuk Warriors will turn 34 during the finals and has stated this will be his last. South Korea’s impressive qualifying record is surpassed only by Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, and Spain. However, their disappointing exit from the 2023 Asian Cup led to Jürgen Klinsmann being replaced by Hong Myung-bo, who guided the team to wins over Oman, Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait in qualifying.
Uzbekistan, known as the White Wolves, finally reached a World Cup finals after a dull 0-0 draw with the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi, about 2,800 miles from home. They are now making their mark at the senior international level, having previously advanced to the quarter-finals of the Under-17 World Cup, the last 16 of the Under-20 World Cup, and the Paris Olympics. Coach Timur Kapadze has promising talents in Abdukodir Khusanov, who made his Manchester City debut at just 20 (though it was shaky), and 22-year-old winger Abbosbek Fayzullaev.
In Europe, 54 nations (with Russia suspended) are competing for spots in next year’s finals. The winners of the 12 groups qualify directly, while four additional places are determined through playoffs involving group runners-up and Nations League group winners.
North America, Central America, and the Caribbean have three automatic slots for the winners of the three four-team groups, with the two best runners-up advancing to intercontinental playoffs.
Oceania has secured one automatic place, and New Caledonia, a French territory only recognized by FIFA in 2004, will compete in the intercontinental playoffs in March.
New Zealand, where rugby union dominates, celebrated the All Whites’ return to the World Cup after 16 years with a 3-0 win over New Caledonia at Auckland’s Eden Park, home of the All Blacks. The victory was hard-fought; the first half ended goalless, and captain Chris Wood left early in the second half with a hip injury. Michael Boxall broke the deadlock with his first international goal at age 36, followed by Kosta Barbarouses and Eli Just sealing the win.
In South America, all six direct spots have been filled. Bolivia clinched the confederation’s playoff place with a surprising 1-0 win over Brazil in El Alto.
Argentina, the defending champions, secured their spot on March 25 when Bolivia drew 0-0 with Uruguay. The main question for coach Lionel Scaloni’s team is whether Lionel Messi will play in the finals. The Inter Miami forward has been noncommittal, saying he doesn’t think he’ll participate in the next World Cup, not due to age but because it seems logical. However, he later added that he’s taking it day by day, focusing on feeling good and being honest with himself about his enjoyment and readiness.
Ecuador qualified for the fifth time this century on June 10, with a 0-0 draw against Peru in Lima securing their place with two matches left. They finished second in the standings and even beat top-ranked Argentina 1-0 in Guayaquil, a match where both teams ended with 10 players after red cards, including Argentina’s Nicolás Otamendi in the 31st minute.Ecuador took an early lead when Enner Valencia converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time. However, they were reduced to 10 men after Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caicedo was sent off in the 50th minute.
Colombia, a vibrant presence in any major tournament, are back after missing the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. They secured their spot for 2026 with a game to spare, thanks to a 3-0 win over Bolivia on September 4th, led by James Rodríguez under coach Néstor Lorenzo. La Tricolor reached the quarter-finals in 2014 and feature Luis Díaz, a standout talent who scored 30 goals in his last two seasons with Liverpool, helping them win the Premier League before his summer move to Bayern Munich. Keep an eye on Benfica’s record signing, Richard Ríos, who has made a brilliant start after joining from Palmeiras.
Uruguay secured their fifth consecutive World Cup berth with a commanding 3-0 win over Peru on September 4th, guided by Marcelo Bielsa. Despite a mixed campaign, they managed notable victories against Brazil in Montevideo and surprised Argentina in Buenos Aires. Bielsa, now 70, is set for his third World Cup as a head coach. While veterans Edinson Cavani and Luis Suárez have moved on, Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde brings energy and skill, with his club manager Xabi Alonso comparing him to a prime Steven Gerrard.
Brazil maintained their record as the only team to appear in every World Cup by defeating Paraguay 1-0 on June 10th, though they finished fifth in qualifying—their lowest position ever. With limited preparation time after Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival from Real Madrid in May, the Italian coach is focusing on team spirit and individual talent over complex tactics, emphasizing the players’ attitude on the pitch.
Paraguay qualified for their first World Cup since 2010 after a hard-fought 0-0 draw with Ecuador on September 4th, securing the point they needed under Gustavo Alfaro. Key players include Miguel Almirón, formerly of Newcastle, and ex-Brighton midfielder Julio Enciso, now at Strasbourg. Almirón, who was 16 during Paraguay’s last World Cup appearance, fondly remembers watching their opening match against Italy with friends and dreams of representing his country on the global stage.
View the full Conmebol standings here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful and clear FAQs about the countries that have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Beginner General Questions
1 Which countries have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup
As of now only three countries have officially secured their spots Canada Mexico and the United States They qualified automatically as the joint host nations
2 Why did Canada Mexico and the USA qualify automatically
They are the three host countries for the 2026 tournament It is a longstanding tradition in football for the host nation to receive an automatic qualification spot
3 When will we know the other qualified teams
The qualification tournaments in all other continents will take place between 2023 and 2025 The full list of 48 qualified teams will be finalized by late 2025
4 How many teams will play in the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams a significant increase from the 32 teams in previous tournaments
5 What does qualification path mean
A teams qualification path is the process they went through to earn their spot For the hosts their path was simply being awarded the tournament For all other teams it involves playing and winning games in their continents specific qualification tournament
Advanced Detailed Questions
6 What is the qualification path for the host nations
Their path was noncompetitive They were granted automatic entry as part of FIFAs bidding process to host the event They do not have to play in their continental qualifiers for a spot
7 How will the other 45 spots be allocated among the continents
The 45 remaining spots will be distributed as follows
UEFA 16 spots
CAF 9 spots
AFC 8 spots
CONMEBOL 6 spots
