FIFA World Cup 2026: Host Countries and Qualifying Teams -

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be a groundbreaking tournament in several ways. For the first time in history, the men’s World Cup will feature three host countries: Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Additionally, the tournament will expand to include 48 teams, up from the previous 32, making it the largest World Cup ever.

Spanning from June 11 to July 19, the tournament will be held across 16 host cities, including Vancouver and Toronto in Canada. This unprecedented event promises to deliver an unforgettable experience to fans around the globe.

While Canada, the United States, and Mexico have already secured their spots as host nations, the journey to complete the lineup of 48 teams has already begun. A total of 45 spots are still up for grabs, with teams from around the world competing in a rigorous qualifying process.

With the World Cup expanding in size and reaching new heights of international participation, excitement is building as nations battle for their chance to compete on soccer’s biggest stage.

Oceania

The first team from outside the host countries to qualify for the FIFA World Cup will come from the Oceania region on March 23, 2025.

This is the first time that Oceania is guaranteed a spot in the men’s World Cup. New Zealand is the favorite to qualify since Australia now plays in the Asian region.

Here are the four Oceania countries that still have a chance to qualify:

Fiji
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Tahiti

South America

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) will have at least six of its 10 countries competing in the FIFA World Cup. The qualification process will be completed by September 2025. All 10 CONMEBOL countries still have a chance to qualify.

Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Paraguay
Peru
Uruguay
Venezuela

Asia

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will send at least eight countries to the World Cup. The first six teams to qualify will be decided by June 2025. Currently, 18 countries from the AFC still have a chance to qualify and secure their spot in the tournament.

Australia
Bahrain
China
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Japan
Jordan
North Korea
South Korea
Kuwait
Kyrgyz Republic
Oman
Palestine
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan

Africa

By October 2025, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will send at least nine countries to the World Cup. There are 54 countries in CAF, and all of them still have a chance to qualify for the tournament.

Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina
Burundi
Faso
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Congo
Congo DR
Côte d’Ivoire
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Gabon
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Sao Tome e Principe
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Tanzania
The Gambia
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe

North America, Central America and the Caribbean

The Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) will send three to five countries to the World Cup, along with the host nations Canada, USA, and Mexico.

In November 2025, three more CONCACAF countries will qualify for the World Cup.

Here are the 30 CONCACAF countries that still have a chance to qualify:

Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Aruba
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
British Virgin Islands
Cayman Islands
Costa Rica
Cuba
Curaçao
Dominica
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Montserrat
Nicaragua
Panama
Puerto Rico
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago

Europe

UEFA will send 16 countries to the FIFA World Cup. The qualification process starts in March 2025 and ends in March 2026. There will be 12 groups, and the winner of each group will qualify directly for the World Cup. The remaining four spots will be decided through a playoff between 16 teams.