Full List of Countries That Have Officially Qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- 42 countries have already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled to take place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada
- Six more slots are up for grabs in the 48-team tournament set for next year
- The Super Eagles will not be at the World Cup after failing to qualify for the second consecutive tournament
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be the biggest in history, with the tournament expanding to 48 teams for the first time.
Co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the football showpiece promises more excitement and representation from countries across every continent.
Source: Getty Images
With qualification rounds nearing their conclusion, several countries have already booked their place, while others battle through playoffs for the final spots.
How each continent is represented
The 2026 tournament will feature 16 slots for UEFA, nine for CAF, eight for AFC, six each for CONMEBOL and CONCACAF, and one guaranteed for OFC, GOAL reports.
The remaining two slots will be determined through intercontinental playoffs.
While traditional heavyweights in Europe like Spain, England, France, Germany, and Portugal have secured qualification, Italy faces a tense playoff battle alongside 15 other UEFA nations for four remaining spots.
Source: Getty Images
In Africa, Nigeria, despite its rich footballing history, missed out on qualifying, while Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and others booked their tickets.
The expanded format guarantees more representation for smaller nations and offers historic moments for underdogs like Curacao, the smallest country ever to qualify, and Haiti, returning to the World Cup after 52 years.
All confirmed teams for the World Cup
Here is the list of countries that have already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
Co-hosts:
Canada, Mexico, USA
Africa (CAF):
Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
Asia (AFC):
Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Read also
CAF announces new format for AFCON qualifiers as Super Eagles fail to qualify for World Cup
Europe (UEFA):
Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Oceania (OFC):
New Zealand
South America (CONMEBOL):
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Curacao, Panama, Haiti
These teams have secured direct entry through their continental qualification campaigns, setting the stage for a highly competitive World Cup in North America.
Playoffs and final confirmation
The remaining slots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be determined via two playoff routes: European playoffs and the intercontinental playoffs, Sky Sports reports.
European playoff teams: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia, Denmark, Italy, Kosovo, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Turkiye, Ukraine, Wales, Romania, Sweden, Northern Ireland, North Macedonia.
Intercontinental playoff teams: Bolivia, DR Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia, Suriname.
The final 48-team list will only be confirmed by March 31, 2026, following the conclusion of European qualifiers and the intercontinental playoff finals.
These decisive matches promise further drama, as nations fight for a chance to dethrone Argentina, who are the defending champions after winning the competition in 2022.
NFF releases statement after World Cup failure
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the leadership of the NFF has sent a personal apology to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following Nigeria's inability to qualify for the World Cup.
In a statement on X, the football body also extended their apologies to passionate fans who took their time to watch the encounter between Nigeria and DR Congo.
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Source: Legit.ng
