These 48 countries have qualified for FIFA World Cup 2026 in Canada, U.S., Mexico
FIFA World Cup 2026 will make history in a number of ways.
The largest World Cup ever, a record 48 countries will participate, up from 32. And for the first time ever, the men’s World Cup has three host countries: Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19 in 16 host cities, including the Canadian host cities of Vancouver and Toronto.
But the FIFA World Cup isn’t just a one-month event. It includes a years-long qualifying process that came to an end on Tuesday.
A total of 48 countries have qualified, including 16 from Europe, six from North America, six from South America, nine from Asia, 10 from Africa, and one from Oceania.
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Here are the countries that will be competing at the FIFA World Cup.
Europe (16)
France finished second in 2022 (Yukihito Taguchi/USA TODAY Sports)
Sixteen members of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) have qualified, and somehow, four-time FIFA World Cup champion Italy isn’t one of them. No. 20-ranked Denmark was also upset in the final round of qualifying and won’t be coming to North America.
Remarkably, Italy will miss the men’s World Cup for a third straight time, after being upset by Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sweden, TĂźrkiye, and Czechia were also among the last four European countries to qualify.
Qualified UEFA countries:
- England
- France
- Croatia
- Portugal
- Norway
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Belgium
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Spain
- Scotland
- Sweden
- TĂźrkiye
- Czechia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
North America, Central America, Caribbean (6)
Costa Rica has competed at five of the last six FIFA World Cups (Yukihito Taguchi/USA TODAY Sports)
The Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) is sending six countries to the World Cup.
As host nations, Canada, the United States, and Mexico qualify automatically. Three more Concacaf countries have secured their spots, including two surprise teams making it.
Panama, who last made it to the World Cup in 2018, was expected to qualify. Haiti and Curaçao are the surprises.
Things are so dire in Haiti that its national team is currently unable to play matches at home. And with a population of just 158,665, Curaçao is the smallest country ever to qualify for a FIFA World Cup.
Qualified Concacaf countries:
- Canada
- United States
- Mexico
- Panama
- Haiti
- Curaçao
South America (6)
Lionel Messi and Argentina are headed to the FIFA World Cup 2026 (FIFA)
The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) is sending six countries to the FIFA World Cup.
Lionel Messi and the defending champions from Argentina will be there. So will Brazil, Ecuador, and Uruguay, just as they were in 2022.
Colombia is making its first appearance since 2018, while Paraguay returns to the men’s World Cup for the first time since 2010.
Qualified CONMEBOL countries:
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Ecuador
- Colombia
- Uruguay
- Paraguay
Asia (9)
Japan was the first non-host country to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (Yukihito Taguchi/USA TODAY Sports)
The Asian Football Confederation is sending nine countries to the FIFA World Cup: Japan, Iran, South Korea, Australia, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Iraq.
Uzbekistan and Jordan will compete at the FIFA World Cup for the first time.
Australia, which moved to the Asian Football Confederation from Oceania in 2006, will make its sixth straight World Cup appearance.
Qualified Asian Football Confederation countries:
- Japan
- Iran
- Uzbekistan
- Jordan
- South Korea
- Australia
- Saudi Arabia
- Qatar
- Iraq
Africa (10)
Morocco finished fourth in 2022, the best-ever result for an African country at the FIFA World Cup (Yukihito Taguchi/USA TODAY Sports)
Ten African nations are headed to the World Cup: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, South Africa, Senegal, CĂ´te D’Ivoire, and Congo DR.
Morocco achieved the best-ever result by an African country at the 2022 World Cup, finishing fourth.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Cape Verde, a tiny island nation off the coast of West Africa, with a population under 600,000. Their national team is going to its first FIFA World Cup.
Congo DR was one of the last teams to qualify. It marks the country’s first trip to the FIFA World Cup since 1974, when it was known as Zaire.
Qualified Confederation of African Football countries:
- Morocco
- Tunisia
- Egypt
- Algeria
- Ghana
- Cape Verde
- South Africa
- CĂ´te d’Ivoire
- Senegal
- Congo DR
Oceania (1)
New Zealand is the heavy favourite to qualify out of Oceania (Photosport)
New Zealand was the second nation (outside of the host countries) to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, doing so from the Oceania Football Confederation.
This is the first time Oceania has been guaranteed an automatic berth in a men’s World Cup. New Zealand was the heavy favourite to advance, given that Australia now competes in the Asian Football Confederation.