The 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America is taking shape, with 28 nations already booking their spots in the expanded 48-team tournament.

Europe Leads with England

England became the first European nation to secure qualification after a commanding 5-0 win over Latvia. Under Thomas Tuchel, the team has yet to concede a goal in six qualifiers, marking them as one of the tournament favourites.

Several other European nations—including Norway, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, and Switzerland—are close to qualifying and will likely confirm their places during the November international break.

African Nations Make Their Mark

Africa had a strong qualifying week:

• Cape Verde joins as the second smallest country ever to play in a World Cup.
• South Africa returns for the first time since hosting in 2010.
• Ivory Coast ends a 12-year absence.
• Ghana and Senegal also booked spots.

Meanwhile, Cameroon and Nigeria will face the play-offs after finishing second in their groups.

Asian Teams Confirmed

From the AFC, the following nations have qualified:

• Australia
• Iran
• Japan
• Jordan
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• South Korea
• Uzbekistan

Iraq and the United Arab Emirates will compete for a place in the inter-confederation play-offs.

CONCACAF Co-Hosts and Contenders

The co-hosts—Canada, Mexico, and the USA—have automatically qualified. The remaining three CONCACAF spots will be decided during upcoming qualifiers.

South America and Oceania

From CONMEBOL, the confirmed nations are:

• Argentina
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Paraguay
• Uruguay

The OFC is represented by New Zealand.

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Full List of 28 Qualified Nations So Far

Co-Hosts: Canada, Mexico, USA
AFC: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
CAF: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
CONMEBOL: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
OFC: New Zealand
UEFA: England

The final 48-team lineup will be completed in March 2026, when the remaining teams qualify through play-offs.

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Key Takeaways

• 28 nations have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
• England leads Europe with an unbeaten qualifying run.
• Africa has strong representation, including South Africa and Cape Verde.
• Co-hosts Canada, Mexico, and the USA automatically qualify.
• The final lineup will be confirmed in March 2026 after the play-offs.