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Ready for the world’s biggest sporting event? The countdown is on for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Spread across the countries (Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.), 48 teams will take part in the largest edition of the tournament ever next summer.
The qualifying process picks back up in November. Which teams are already in and which ones are close to booking their spot?
When is the World Cup?
The World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The FOX family of networks and the FOX Sports app are your complete home for World Cup content, including live matches, complete highlights, commentary and analysis, and full-match replays.
What we know:
- 48 teams will participate in the World Cup with 25 teams already in;
- 42 of those 48 teams will qualify directly; four will qualify via the European (UEFA) playoffs; two will be via the intercontinental playoff;
- Three co-host teams — Canada, Mexico, United States — are in;
- England is the first team from Europe (UEFA) to qualify;
- Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay are all in after qualifying through the South American (CONMEBOL) confederation;
- Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan and Qatar are in after qualifying through the Asian (AFC) confederation;
- Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco and Tunisia are in after qualifying through the African (CAF) confederation;
- New Zealand is in after qualifying through the Oceania (OFC) confederation;
Who’s in (alphabetical order, whole World Cup appearances):
These groups are in! Who else will be part of? Listed in alphabetical order:
- Algeria (5 appearances)
- Australia (7 appearances)
- Argentina (19 appearances)
- Brazil (23 appearances)
- Canada (3 appearances)
- Cape Verde (will make debut in 2026)
- Colombia (6 appearances)
- Ecuador (5 appearances)
- Egypt (4 appearances)
- England (16 appearances)
- Ghana (5 appearances)
- Iran (7 appearances)
- Ivory Coast (4 appearances)
- Japan (8 appearances)
- Jordan (will make debut in 2026)
- Mexico (18 appearances)
- Morocco (7 appearances)
- New Zealand (3 appearances)
- Paraguay (8 appearances)
- Qatar (2 appearances)
- Senegal (4 appearances)
- South Africa (4 appearances)
- South Korea (12 appearances)
- Tunisia (7 appearances)
- Uruguay (14 appearances)
- United States (12 appearances)
- Uzbekistan (will make debut in 2026)
What to Anticipate in November From Throughout the Globe:
Asia (AFC) — The six spots are wrapped up with Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and South Korea. Now it is about which group will e book the playoff spot – UAE or Iraq. These two groups play one another twice to see who’ll advance.
South America (CONMEBOL) — The qualifying rounds are finished. Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Uruguay have booked direct spots. Bolivia secured an intercontinental playoff spot. Chile, Peru, and Venezuela have been eradicated.
Europe (UEFA) — England turned the primary group to e book a spot. Different high groups like Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal are on the cusp of qualifying and will achieve this throughout their November matches.
North America/Central America/Caribbean (CONCACAF) — Apart from the three co-hosts, nobody from this area has booked their spot but. There are 12 groups (cut up into three teams) taking part in by November. The three group winners will head on to the World Cup. Search for groups like Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Honduras to be among the many contenders.
Africa (CAF) — Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia have already clinched their spots. However 4 groups (Gabon, DR Congo, Cameroon, and Nigeria) will play a further spherical in November to see who’ll seize the intercontinental playoff spot.
Oceania (OFA) — That is additionally finished and dusted, with New Zealand already in and having this confederation’s solely direct spot. The tiny island of New Caledonia, formally a French abroad territory, nonetheless has a shot as a participant within the intercontinental playoff.
The intercontinental playoffs, defined:
Forward of the World Cup, two spots will probably be clinched within the playoffs that can happen in March 2026. Six groups will take part, with Europe (UEFA) being excluded from this spherical:
- 1 Africa (TBD)
- 1 Asia (Iraq or United Arab Emirates)
- 2 North and Central America/Caribbean (TBD)
- 1 Oceania (New Caledonia)
- 1 South America (Venezuela)
The 2 groups with the best FIFA rankings will get byes to the 2 separate finals. The opposite 4 groups will face one another to achieve these finalists. The 2 groups to emerge from this playoff spherical will go to the World Cup.
Area-by-region breakdown:
AFC (Asia)
What number of World Cup groups can qualify?
8 robotically, 1 enters the intercontinental playoff spherical
Who’s in?
Australia, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Qatar
Who stays in rivalry?
Iraq, United Arab Emirates
What’s subsequent in November?
The qualifying match in Asia began again in October 2023 with 46 groups taking part. After three rounds of qualifying, six groups have booked World Cup spots, with two extra direct spots up (and one playoff berth) up for grabs. Spherical 4 consisted of six groups (the third- and fourth-placed groups from Spherical 3), and cut up into two teams. These group winners – Qatar and Saudia Arabia – superior to the World Cup.
The Spherical 4 runners-up play (Iraq and the United Arab Emirates) one another in Spherical 5 in November with the winner then heading to the intercontinental playoff in March 2026. They’re going to play one another on Nov. 13 and Nov. 18 to see who’ll safe that spot.
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CAF (Africa)
What number of World Cup groups can qualify?
9 robotically, 1 enters the intercontinental playoff spherical
Who’s in?
Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
Who stays in rivalry?
Cameroon, Congo DR, Gabon, Nigeria
What’s subsequent in November?
In all, 54 groups (which was decreased to 52) have been cut up into 9 teams of six groups every. The 9 group winners superior on to the World Cup, and the 4 greatest second-place groups will enter a playoff spherical in November (two semifinals and a last). Full last standings may be discovered right here.
In November, the playoff semifinals will probably be:
Gabon vs. Nigeria (Nov. 13)
Congo DR vs. Cameroon (Nov. 13)
The winners will then face off on Nov. 18 so as to advance to the intercontinental playoff spherical in March 2026.
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CONCACAF (North & Central America and the Caribbean)
What number of World Cup groups can qualify?
6 robotically (3 co-hosts, 3 by qualifying), 2 enter the intercontinental playoff spherical
Who’s in?
Canada, Mexico, United States
What’s subsequent in November?
The three co-hosts are in, leaving three extra automated spots for the area. There are additionally two spots for the intercontinental playoff to be decided. Initially, 32 groups started the method, with 30 groups – six teams of 5 groups – advancing into the second spherical of qualification, which concluded in June. The highest two groups from every group superior to Spherical 3.
Spherical 3 started in September with three teams of 4 groups, and can conclude in November. The group winners transfer onto the World Cup, and the 2 greatest runners-up get intercontinental playoff spots. Full standings may be discovered right here.
| Group A | GP | W | D | L | Pts |
| Suriname | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Panama | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Guatemala | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| El Salvador | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Group B | GP | W | D | L | Pts |
| Jamaica | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| Curaçao | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| Trin. and Tob. | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Bermuda | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Group C | GP | W | D | L | Pts |
| Honduras | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| Costa Rica | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Haiti | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Nicaragua | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
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CONMEBOL (South America)
What number of World Cup groups can qualify?
6 robotically, 1 enters the intercontinental playoff spherical
Who’s in?
Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Colombia, Paraguay, Bolivia (intercontinental playoff)
How did issues end?
Six groups from the 10-team area have clinched, with Argentina, Brazil, and Ecuador shifting onto the World Cup. Uruguay, Paraguay, and Colombia additionally booked their spots. Bolivia will probably be heading to the intercontinental playoff. Venezuela, Chile and Peru are formally eradicated.
Full last standings may be discovered right here.
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OFC (Oceania)
What number of World Cup groups have certified?
1 robotically, 1 enters the intercontinental playoff spherical
Who’s in?
New Zealand, New Caledonia (intercontinental playoff)
How did it end?
The 11-team qualifying match from this area, consisting of nations and territories within the South Pacific, concluded in March. One group emerged from Spherical 1, becoming a member of the seven top-ranked groups of the area. These eight groups have been cut up into two teams for Spherical 2, with the highest two groups from every group advancing to the semifinals. Full last standings may be discovered right here.
Semifinals, March 21
New Caledonia 3, Tahiti 0
New Zealand 7, Fiji 0
Last, March 24
New Zealand 3, New Caledonia 0
New Zealand will head to the World Cup, whereas New Caledonia will probably be one of many six groups within the intercontinental playoff in March 2026.
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UEFA (Europe)
What number of World Cup groups can qualify?
16 (12 robotically, 4 by a UEFA-only playoff)
Who’s in?
England
What’s subsequent in November?
There are 54 (excluding Russia) groups who started the qualifying course of in March. In all, there are 12 teams of both 4 or 5 groups every. The winner of every group will clinch World Cup spots.
The 12 runners-up transfer to a subsequent playoff spherical, added by the 4 best-ranked Nations League group winners that didn’t end their World Cup qualifying group in first or second place. These 16 groups will then be bracketed to clinch the remaining 4 World Cup spots in March 2026.
England was the one group to clinch up to now, whereas groups like Portugal, Spain, and France will now wait till November matches.
European groups can’t attain the World Cup through the intercontinental playoff. Full present standings may be discovered right here.
| Group A | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| Germany | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| N. Ireland | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| Slovakia | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Luxembourg | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Group B | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| Switzerland | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Kosovo | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Slovenia | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Sweden | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Group C | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| Denmark | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Scotland | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Greece | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Belarus | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Group D | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| France | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Ukraine | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Iceland | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Azerbaijan | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Group E | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| Spain | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Turkey | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| Georgia | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Bulgaria | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Group F | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| Portugal | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| Hungary | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Rep. Ireland | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Armenia | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Group G | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| Netherlands | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| Poland | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| Finland | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| Lithuania | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Malta | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Group H | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| Austria | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 15 |
| Bosnia-Herz. | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| Romania | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| Cyprus | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| San Marino | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Group I | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| Norway | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| Italy | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 15 |
| Israel | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 9 |
| Estonia | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Moldova | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Group J | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| Belgium | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| N. Macedonia | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 13 |
| Wales | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| Kazakhstan | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| Liechtenstein | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Group K | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| England* | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| Albania | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Serbia | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Latvia | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Andorra | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| Group L | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| Croatia | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| Czechia | 7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| Faroe Isl. | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| Montenegro | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| Gibraltar | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
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