Prepared for the world’s largest sporting occasion? The countdown is on for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Unfold throughout the international locations (Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.), 48 groups will participate within the largest version of the event ever.
Which groups are already in and which of them are near reserving their spot. Let’s dive in!
When is the World Cup?
The World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Unfold throughout three international locations, the event will culminate with the ultimate on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The FOX household of networks and the FOX Sports activities app are your full dwelling for World Cup content material, together with dwell matches, full highlights, commentary and evaluation, and full-match replays.
What we all know:
48 groups will take part within the World Cup;46 of these will qualify straight; the opposite two shall be through the six-team intercontinental playoff;Three co-host groups — Canada, Mexico, United States — are in;Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay are all in after qualifying by way of the South American (CONMEBOL) confederation;Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea and Uzbekistan are in after qualifying by way of the Asian (AFC) confederation;Morocco is in after qualifying by way of the African (CAF) confederation;New Zealand is in after qualifying by way of the Oceania (OFC) confederation;
Who’s in (alphabetical order, complete World Cup appearances):
Australia (7 appearances)Argentina (19 appearances)Brazil (23 appearances)Canada (3 appearances)Colombia (6 appearances)Ecuador (5 appearances)Iran (7 appearances)Japan (8 appearances)Jordan (will make debut in 2026)Mexico (18 appearances)Morocco (7 appearances)New Zealand (3 appearances)Paraguay (8 appearances)South Korea (12 appearances)Uruguay (14 appearances)United States (12 appearances)Uzbekistan (will make debut in 2026)
What to anticipate in September matches:
Asia (AFC) — Six international locations within the area – Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Uzbekistan and South Korea are set. However there’s nonetheless two direct spots left, with six groups aiming for them. Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman are in a single group. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia are within the different. These video games shall be performed in October.
South America (CONMEBOL) — Uruguay, Colombia, and Paraguay booked their direct spots. Argentina, Brazil and Ecuador had wrapped their spots earlier this yr. Venezuela and Bolivia are within the combine for the intercontinental playoff spot. Chile and Peru are eradicated.
Europe (UEFA) — No groups have certified but. Spain, France, Germany, and Portugal will lastly kick off their qualifying campaigns in September. Different heavyweights like England, Italy and the Netherlands have already begun.
North America/Central America/Caribbean (CONCACAF) — Apart from the three co-hosts, nobody from this area has booked their spot but. There are 12 groups (break up into three teams) who’ll start a round-robin part that runs by way of November. The three group winners will head on to the World Cup. Search for groups like Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Honduras to be among the many contenders.
Africa (CAF) — There are 9 teams of six groups, with Morocco turning into the primary crew to clinch its spot. Egypt has a large lead in its qualifying group, as do different contenders like South Africa. Anticipate a number of groups to shut it out in September.
Oceania (OFA) — That is carried out and dusted, with New Zealand already in and having this confederation’s solely direct spot. The tiny island of New Caledonia, formally a French abroad territory, nonetheless has a shot as a participant within the intercontinental playoff.
The intercontinental playoffs, defined:
Forward of the World Cup, two spots shall be clinched within the playoffs that can happen in March 2026. Six groups will take part, with Europe (UEFA) being excluded from this spherical:
1 Africa (TBD)1 Asia (TBD)2 North and Central America/Caribbean (TBD)1 Oceania (New Caledonia)1 South America (TBD)
The 2 groups with the best FIFA rankings will get byes to the 2 separate finals. The opposite 4 groups will face one another to succeed in these finalists. The 2 groups to emerge from this playoff spherical will go to the World Cup.
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Area-by-region breakdown:
AFC (Asia)
What number of World Cup groups can qualify? 8 mechanically, 1 enters the intercontinental playoff spherical
Who’s in?Australia, Iran, Jordan, Japan, South Korea, Uzbekistan
What’s occurred up to now?
The qualifying event in Asia began again in October 2023 with 46 groups collaborating. After three rounds of qualifying, six groups have booked World Cup spots, with two extra direct spots up (and one playoff berth) up for grabs when Spherical 4 begins in October.
Spherical 4 consists of six groups (the third- and fourth-placed groups from Spherical 3), and break up into two teams. These group winners advance to the World Cup.
The primary group shall be: Qatar (hosts), United Arab Emirates, Oman The second group shall be: Saudi Arabia (hosts), Iraq, Indonesia
The runners-up go to Spherical 5, with the winner then heading to the intercontinental playoff.
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CAF (Africa)
What number of World Cup groups can qualify?9 mechanically, 1 enters the intercontinental playoff spherical
Who’s in?Morocco
What’s occurred up to now?
The qualifying course of picks again up in September. There are 54 groups (now lowered to 52) break up into 9 teams of six groups every.
The 9 group winners will advance on to the World Cup, and the 4 finest second-place groups will combat for an intercontinental playoff spot. On the midway level of the qualification part, there are many prime groups in charge of their respective teams.
Morocco, the 2022 World Cup shock semifinals, have gained their group. Groups like Egypt and South Africa are in charge of their respective teams for the second.
The one wrinkle is Group E, which was gained by Morocco. The group was lowered to 4 groups after the disqualification of Congo and Eritrea – and the way that might doubtlessly have an effect on whoever finishes in second place, since it could not have sufficient factors to be thought of for the intercontinental playoff part.
This is the highest two groups in every group. Groups which have certified have an asterisk (*). Full standings will be discovered right here.
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CONCACAF (North & Central America and the Caribbean)
What number of World Cup groups can qualify?6 mechanically (3 co-hosts, 3 by way of qualifying), 2 enter the intercontinental playoff spherical
Who’s in?Canada, Mexico, United States
What’s occurred up to now?
The three co-hosts are in, leaving three extra automated spots for the area. There are additionally two spots for the intercontinental playoff to be decided. Initially, 32 groups started the method, with 30 groups – six teams of 5 groups – advancing into the second spherical of qualification, which concluded in June. The highest two groups from every group superior to Spherical 3.
Spherical 3 will start in September with three teams of 4 groups. The winners transfer onto the World Cup, and the 2 finest runners-up get intercontinental playoff spots.
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CONMEBOL (South America)
What number of World Cup groups can qualify?6 mechanically, 1 enters the intercontinental playoff spherical
Who’s in?Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Colombia, Paraguay
What’s occurred up to now?
Six groups from the 10-team area have clinched, with Argentina, Brazil, and Ecuador transferring onto the World Cup. Uruguay, Paraguay, and Colombia additionally booked their spots. Venezuela presently holds a slim lead for the playoff spot over Bolivia. Chile and Peru are formally eradicated.
This is how the present desk stands. Groups which have certified have an asterisk (*). Full standings will be discovered right here.
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OFC (Oceania)
What number of World Cup groups have certified?1 mechanically, 1 enters the intercontinental playoff spherical
Who’s in?New Zealand, New Caledonia (playoff crew)
What’s occurred up to now:
The 11-team qualifying event from this area, consisting of nations and territories within the South Pacific, concluded in March. One crew emerged from Spherical 1, becoming a member of the seven top-ranked groups of the area. These eight groups had been break up into two teams for Spherical 2, with the highest two groups from every group advancing to the semifinals. Full standings will be discovered right here.
Semifinals, March 21New Caledonia 3, Tahiti 0New Zealand 7, Fiji 0
Remaining, March 24New Zealand 3, New Caledonia 0
New Zealand will head to the World Cup, whereas New Caledonia shall be one of many six groups within the intercontinental playoff.
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UEFA (Europe)
What number of World Cup groups can qualify?16 (12 mechanically, 4 by way of a UEFA-only playoff)
Who’s in?None certified but
What’s occurred up to now:
There are 54 (excluding Russia) groups who started the qualifying course of in March. Some notable groups have already begun the qualifying course of – together with England, Italy, and the Netherlands. Different prime groups – France, Germany, Spain, Portugal – lastly start the method in September.
In all, there are 12 teams of both 4 or 5 groups every. The winner of every group will clinch World Cup spots.
The 12 runners-up transfer to a subsequent playoff spherical, added by the 4 best-ranked Nations League group winners that didn’t end their World Cup qualifying group in first or second place. These 16 groups will then be bracketed to clinch the remaining 4 World Cup spots in March 2026.
European groups can not attain the World Cup through the intercontinental playoff. Full standings will be discovered right here.
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