The teams already through — who has qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (and what it means)
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be historic: 48 teams, 104 matches across three host nations (United States, Canada and Mexico) and the biggest finals field in the tournament’s history. As qualifying rounds drew toward their close in October 2025, nearly half the field was locked in — a mixture of established powers, surprise entrants and a few nations making rare or maiden appearances on football’s biggest stage. Below I summarise who has qualified so far, the confederation picture, notable first-timers and what remains between now and the final draw.
The basics: hosts + how many are in so far
Because the tournament is jointly hosted, Canada, Mexico and the United States automatically qualify as hosts. By mid-October 2025, reputable reporting and FIFA updates put the number of confirmed teams at about 28 teams — roughly twenty more spots will be decided through the remaining qualification windows and intercontinental play-offs. That count and the ongoing qualifying schedules have been tracked and reported by FIFA and major news outlets.
Confirmed qualifiers (by confederation) — snapshot as of mid-October 2025
Below is a condensed, region-by-region snapshot of the national sides already through, based on recent FIFA and press updates.
CONCACAF (hosts + qualifiers)
- Hosts (automatic): United States, Mexico, Canada.
(CONCACAF also has additional qualifying slots that will be filled via the confederation’s qualification process.)
CONMEBOL (South America) — (six direct slots)
- Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay.
(CONMEBOL completed its qualifying early in September 2025; those six nations filled the confederation’s direct places.)
UEFA (Europe)
- So far: England has already secured a place (others continue through group winners and playoffs; UEFA qualifying runs later into 2026 for remaining berths).
(UEFA has 16 direct places in 2026; many European spot battles were still undecided as of October 2025.)
AFC (Asia)
- Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan.
(The Asian qualification process delivered a substantial chunk of the field; Jordan, Uzbekistan joined the winners’ list in 2025.)
CAF (Africa)
- Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia.
(CAF’s expanded allocation for 2026 means nine automatic African qualifiers; several of these are familiar African powers while Cape Verde are among the notable success stories.)
OFC (Oceania)
- New Zealand.
(New Zealand secured Oceania’s direct slot after the OFC qualification stage.)
(That list above is the snapshot reflected in recent coverage around 14–16 October 2025; FIFA’s qualifiers page and major outlets provide running updates as the final rounds conclude.)
Notable stories and first-timers
- Cape Verde, Jordan and Uzbekistan are among the headline qualifiers — nations either reaching the finals for the first time or returning after long absences. These teams represent meaningful success stories: smaller federations investing in youth and coaching, and players showing that the expanded 48-team format creates opportunities for more nations to reach a World Cup.
- Qatar earned qualification through the AFC route after having been 2022 hosts; their route this cycle shows how host status in one tournament doesn’t guarantee continuity — qualification must be earned next time.
What’s left to decide
Even with roughly 28 teams confirmed by mid-October 2025, many slots — especially across UEFA and the remaining CONCACAF places — were still to be filled. The intercontinental playoff tournament (a small playoff series giving two extra World Cup berths) is scheduled for March 2026; several confederations will send runners-up or playoff winners into that path. The final qualification windows run through late 2025 (and for some regions into March 2026), so the complete 48-team list will be finalised only after those fixtures and the intercontinental playoff.
Why this edition feels different
- Scale and diversity: A 48-team tournament spreads representation across more regions than ever before. Fans will likely see new matchups and nations that previously rarely made the finals.
- Logistics across three hosts: With matches running across the United States, Canada and Mexico, qualifying teams will also be thinking about travel, climate and preparation for a tournament that spans large geography and differing stadium conditions. Media reports and FIFA briefings have repeatedly emphasised both the excitement and logistical complexity of the tri-host format.
Closing thought
As of mid-October 2025 the picture was clear: a solid core of traditional heavyweights had already secured places, while the expanded format had made space for fresh faces from Africa, Asia and beyond. Between now and the final draw (and the intercontinental playoff in March 2026), fans should expect a few more debutants, dramatic playoff ties and the final shaping of a tournament that promises to be the most inclusive World Cup yet. For the most up-to-date list, consult FIFA’s official qualifiers page and major sports outlets as qualification windows finish and the remaining 20 or so spots are decided.