The race to the FIFA World Cup 2026 is intensifying, with several nations securing their places in the upcoming 48-team tournament, while others still fight for remaining spots through intercontinental playoffs. Following the latest round of qualifiers, football fans around the world now have a clearer picture of who will participate in next year’s global football spectacle, which will be hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Qatar made headlines as one of the latest confirmed teams, marking the first time the Middle Eastern nation has qualified for the World Cup through the qualification process, having previously participated only as hosts in 2022. The victory against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) sealed their spot, sparking celebrations for coach Julen Lopetegui and players alike.

Other nations have also made headlines, including South Africa, who secured a tense qualification, while traditional African powerhouses like Nigeria have been pushed to playoffs. Cape Verde also celebrated a historic first-ever qualification to the World Cup finals, joining the ranks of global football contenders.

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Confirmed FIFA World Cup 2026 Teams by Region

Host Nations

The three host nations automatically qualify for the finals, ensuring a strong representation from North America:

• Canada
• Mexico
• United States

Asia (AFC)

The Asian continent has seen several teams secure automatic qualification:

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

These teams demonstrated consistent performances in the Asian Football Confederation qualifiers, earning their place at the 2026 World Cup.

Africa (CAF)

Africa continues to showcase its footballing talent:

• Algeria
• Cape Verde
• Egypt
• Ghana
• Ivory Coast
• Morocco
• Senegal
• South Africa
• Tunisia

While South Africa clinched a tight finish, teams like Nigeria will have to compete in intercontinental playoffs for a chance to join the finals.

Europe (UEFA)

So far, only England has confirmed qualification from Europe. The remaining UEFA nations are still competing for the 15 other automatic spots. European qualifiers will continue through November 18, leaving much anticipation for the final line-up.

Oceania (OFC)

New Zealand is confirmed as the representative from Oceania, securing a place in the World Cup 2026 finals.

South America (CONMEBOL)

South America has traditionally dominated global football, and several teams have qualified early:

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

Bolivia will compete in intercontinental playoffs after narrowly missing automatic qualification.

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Teams Still in Contention

Although many nations have confirmed their places, several countries are still fighting for qualification:

• Africa: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and Nigeria will compete for the final playoff spot.
• Asia: UAE and Iraq will contest one intercontinental playoff berth in November.
• Europe: 53 of the 54 European teams remain in contention alongside England.
• North & Central America / Caribbean: Only three spots remain, with countries like Bermuda, Costa Rica, Curacao, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago advancing to the next round.
• Oceania: New Caledonia will compete in the intercontinental playoffs.
• South America: Bolivia will vie for the intercontinental playoffs after missing out on automatic qualification.

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Major Teams Eliminated from World Cup 2026

Several notable football nations have been knocked out:

• South America: Peru, Chile, and Venezuela failed to secure a spot.
• Asia: China missed out on their first finals since 2002. Bahrain and Palestine also fell short.
• Africa: Angola, Libya, Mali, and Namibia were eliminated.
• Other nations: Indonesia, aiming for only their second World Cup, fell at the fourth-round AFC qualifiers despite efforts led by Dutch coach Patrick Kluivert.

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Final Confirmation Timeline

• European qualifiers continue through March 2026.
• Intercontinental playoffs are also scheduled for March 2026.
• All 48 teams for the World Cup 2026 will be finalized by March 31, 2026, less than three months before kickoff.

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World Cup 2026 Draw and Schedule

• Draw Date: December 5, 2025, at the Kennedy Center, Washington, DC.
• Tournament Start: June 11, 2026, in Mexico City.
• Final Match: July 19, 2026, in New Jersey, USA.

President Donald Trump announced the draw in an Oval Office event, joined by Vice President JD Vance and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.