The 2026 FIFA World Cup will break new ground next year as a revamped and expanded edition of the most popular football tournament in the world heads to North America.
The United States, Mexico, and Canada will play host to the latest edition of the celebrated event, with more nations than ever before set to be involved over almost six weeks.
Forty-eight teams will feature at the tournament – and from old favourites to new faces, there will be plenty out to make a statement on some of the biggest stages of all.
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So just who has qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup so far?
We take a look at the teams who will be lining up for their national anthems next summer.
WHO HAS QUALIFIED FOR THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP?
Thirty-four teams have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup so far, including three nations – the United States, Mexico and Canada – as co-hosts of the tournament.Japan was the first team overall to qualify beyond them, after a successful AFC campaign, with New Zealand the next to secure their berth after victory in the OFC Final. Defending World Cup champions Argentina were the first South American side to qualify, while Morocco were the first African side to book their place in the North American tournament, and England were the first European side to qualify.
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List of teams already qualified for the 48-team 2026 World Cup as of Tuesday 18
Team — Confederation — Date of qualification — Finals appearance — Best result
Canada — CONCACAF — February 14, 2023 — 3rd —GS
Mexico —CONCACAF — February 14, 2023 — 18th —QF
United States — CONCACAF — February 14, 2023 — 12th — 3rd
Japan — AFC —March 20, 2025 — 8th — Last-16
New Zealand — OFC — March 24, 2025 — 3rd — GS
Iran — AFC — March 25, 2025 — 7th — GS
Argentina — CONMEBOL — March 25, 2025 — 19th — Champions
Uzbekistan — AFC — June 5, 2025 — 1st
South Korea — AFC — June 5, 2025 — 12th — 4th
Jordan — AFC — June 5, 2025 — 1st—
Australia — AFC — June 10, 2025 — 6th — Last-16
Brazil — CONMEBOL — June 10, 2025 — 23rd — Champions
Ecuador— CONMEBOL — June 10, 2025 — 5th — Last-16
Uruguay — CONMEBOL — September 4, 2025 — 15th — Champions
Colombia — CONMEBOL — September 4, 2025 — 7th — QF
Paraguay — CONMEBOL — September 4, 2025 — 9th — QF
Morocco — CAF — September 5, 2025 — 7th — 4th
Tunisia — CAF — September 8, 2025 — 7th — GS
Egypt — CAF — October 8, 2025 — 4th — GS
Algeria — CAF — October 9, 2025 — 5th — Last-16
Ghana — CAF — October 12, 2025 — 5th — QF
Cape Verde — CAF — October 13, 2025 — 1st
South Africa — CAF — October 14, 2025 — 4th — GS
Qatar — AFC — October 14, 2025 — 2nd — GS
England — UEFA — October 14, 2025 — 17th — Champions
Saudi Arabia — AFC — October 14, 2025 — 7th — Last-16
Ivory Coast — CAF — October 14, 2025 — 4th — GS
Senegal — CAF — October 14, 2025 — 4th — QF
France — UEFA — November 13, 2025 — 17th — Champions
Croatia — UEFA — November 14, 2025 — 7th — 2nd
Portugal — UEFA — November 16, 2025 — 9th — 3rd
Norway — UEFA — November 16, 2025 — 4th — Last-16
Germany — UEFA — November 17, 2025 — 21st — Champions
Netherlands — UEFA — November 17, 2025 — 12th — 2nd
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WHO CAN STILL CLAIM A SPOT WITHOUT PLAYOFFS?
There are still 19 nations who have a mathematical chance of securing their World Cup spot — without featuring in the playoff tournament — following the slate of games on November 18-19.
None are from Africa, Asia, South America or Oceania who have already had their spots filled.
That leaves automatic spots still up for grabs in Europe and CONCACAF.
Some nations have straightforward paths. For example, Austria — in its bid to reach a World Cup for the first time since 1998 — will be successful if it simply avoids defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The match is effectively sudden death with Bosnia and Herzegovina progressing if it pulls off an upset.
Big guns Belgium will make their fourth-straight edition with a win over Liechtenstein — though a draw or a loss could still be enough if Wales draws with North Macedonia.
Other European nations with a clear path include Denmark and Scotland, who play each other. Denmark needs only a draw whereas Scotland must win.
Spain’s next match is a mere formality given it has a three-point buffer and a goal difference 14 better than second-place Turkey.
Switzerland — top of Group B — also sits pretty with the same-point buffer and an 11-goal advantage over Kosovo.
Wales’ path is much trickier. The nation must beat North Macedonia and hope Liechtenstein pull off a monster upset over Belgium.
Trickier still are the extremely unlikely, yet mathematically possible, scenarios that technically keep Kosovo, North Macedonia and Poland in with a chance of automatic qualification.
Outside of Europe, there is a dream scenario on the line for Curacao, who will make its first ever World Cup with a result on the road to Jamaica.
Dick Advocaat is in charge of Curacao, who would be the smallest-ever country to ever go to the World Cup.Source: AP
Curacao would be the smallest-ever country to ever go to the World Cup, pulling the rug out from beneath minnows Cape Verde who locked in its spot earlier this year.
The island nation in the Caribbean Sea has just 156,115 people, and a land mass smaller than the Isle of Man.
Their coach is Dick Advocaat, who infamously made a stunning U-turn on coaching the Socceroos in 2007, going on to take up 16 posts across the world since.
Jamaica will qualify instead should it beat Curacao.
Elsewhere, Costa Rica, Haiti, Honduras, Panama and Suriname all have a shot at qualification, but none have their fates sitting entirely within their hands.
Costa Rica must beat Honduras and hope Haiti doesn’t beat Nicaragua.
In turn, Haiti must win and hope Honduras does not beat Costa Rica.
Honduras must get a result and have Haiti not defeat Nicaragua. If Haiti does win then it also needs to overhaul a two-goal differential to Honduras in this scenario.
Panama’s clearest route is by beating El Savador, assuming Guatemala also gets a result against Suriname, who can make it itself if it gets at least a draw against Guatemala and if El Salvador gets a result against Panama.
