The race to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is heating up, with teams from across the globe already securing their place in what will be the tournament’s largest edition yet.
Scheduled to take place in North America, the 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams for the first time, expanding from the long-standing 32-team format. The United States, Canada, and Mexico will co-host the event, marking a return of the competition to American soil for the first time since 1994. As hosts, the trio have automatically qualified.
Japan became the first team to secure qualification, booking their ticket in March with a win over Bahrain in the AFC qualifiers. Other Asian nations soon followed. Iran confirmed their place after a 2–2 draw with Uzbekistan, who celebrated their first-ever qualification. Jordan also made history by qualifying for the first time, while South Korea secured a spot after a 2–0 win over Iraq in June.
New Zealand continued their dominance in Oceania, clinching qualification in March 2025 with a convincing victory over New Caledonia.
In South America, reigning champions Argentina qualified without playing their final match, thanks to a goalless draw between Uruguay and Bolivia. Brazil, the only nation to appear in every World Cup since 1930, booked their place with a win over Paraguay. Ecuador also sealed qualification following a string of strong performances.
Australia kept their World Cup streak alive, making it six straight appearances after advancing through the AFC qualifiers.
As of now, these are the countries that have secured their spots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
Hosts (Automatically Qualified):
- United States
- Canada
- Mexico
Qualified Teams:
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Argentina
- Iran
- Uzbekistan
- South Korea
- Jordan
- Brazil
- Ecuador
- Australia
With more slots still up for grabs, the road to the biggest World Cup ever continues.
