2026 FIFA World Cup: Who Has Certified? Who Can Make It?

[ad_1] Prepared for the world's largest sporting occasion? The countdown is on for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Unfold throughout the nations (Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.), 48 groups will participate within the largest version of the event ever subsequent summer time.

The qualifying course of picks again up in November. Which groups are already in and which of them are near reserving their spot?

When is the World Cup?

The World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Unfold throughout three nations, 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 house 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 with 25 groups already in; 42 of these 48 groups will qualify straight; 4 will qualify through the European (UEFA) playoffs; two will likely be through the intercontinental playoff; Three co-host groups — Canada, Mexico, United States — are in; England is the primary group from Europe (UEFA) to qualify; Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay are all in after qualifying via the South American (CONMEBOL) confederation; Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan and Qatar are in after qualifying via the Asian (AFC) confederation; Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco and Tunisia are in after qualifying via the African (CAF) confederation; New Zealand is in after qualifying via the Oceania (OFC) confederation; Who's in (alphabetical order, complete World Cup appearances):

These groups are in! Who else will be a part of? Listed in alphabetical order:

Algeria (5 appearances) Australia (7 appearances) Argentina (19 appearances) Brazil (23 appearances) Canada (3 appearances) Cape Verde (will make debut in 2026) Colombia (6 appearances) Ecuador (5 appearances) Egypt (4 appearances) England (16 appearances) Ghana (5 appearances) Iran (7 appearances) Ivory Coast (4 appearances) Japan (8 appearances) Jordan (will make debut in 2026) Mexico (18 appearances) Morocco (7 appearances) New Zealand (3 appearances) Paraguay (8 appearances) Qatar (2 appearances) Senegal (4 appearances) South Africa (4 appearances) South Korea (12 appearances) Tunisia (7 appearances) Uruguay (14 appearances) United States (12 appearances) Uzbekistan (will make debut in 2026) What to Anticipate in November From Throughout the Globe:

Asia (AFC) — The six spots are wrapped up with Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and South Korea. Now it is about which group will guide the playoff spot – UAE or Iraq. These two groups play one another twice to see who'll advance.

South America (CONMEBOL) — The qualifying rounds are carried out. Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Uruguay have booked direct spots. Bolivia secured an intercontinental playoff spot. Chile, Peru, and Venezuela have been eradicated.

Europe (UEFA) — England grew to become the primary group to guide a spot. Different high groups like Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal are on the cusp of qualifying and may achieve this throughout their November matches.

North America/Central America/Caribbean (CONCACAF) — Except for the three co-hosts, nobody from this area has booked their spot but. There are 12 groups (break up into three teams) enjoying via 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) — Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia have already clinched their spots. However 4 groups (Gabon, DR Congo, Cameroon, and Nigeria) will play an extra spherical in November to see who'll seize the intercontinental playoff spot.

Oceania (OFA) — That is additionally 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 will likely be clinched within the playoffs that may happen in March 2026. Six groups will take part, with Europe (UEFA) being excluded from this spherical:

1 Africa (TBD) 1 Asia (Iraq or United Arab Emirates) 2 North and Central America/Caribbean (TBD) 1 Oceania (New Caledonia) 1 South America (Venezuela) 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 achieve these finalists. The 2 groups to emerge from this playoff spherical will go to the World Cup.

Area-by-region breakdown:

AFC (Asia)

What number of World Cup groups can qualify?

8 routinely, 1 enters the intercontinental playoff spherical

Who's in?Australia, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Qatar

Who stays in competition?Iraq, United Arab Emirates

What's subsequent in November?

The qualifying event in Asia began again in October 2023 with 46 groups taking part. 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. Spherical 4 consisted of six groups (the third- and fourth-placed groups from Spherical 3), and break up into two teams. These group winners – Qatar and Saudia Arabia – superior to the World Cup.

The Spherical 4 runners-up play (Iraq and the United Arab Emirates) one another in Spherical 5 in November with the winner then heading to the intercontinental playoff in March 2026. They will play one another on Nov. 13 and Nov. 18 to see who'll safe that spot.

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CAF (Africa)

What number of World Cup groups can qualify?9 routinely, 1 enters the intercontinental playoff spherical

Who's in?Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia

Who stays in competition?Cameroon, Congo DR, Gabon, Nigeria

What's subsequent in November?

In all, 54 groups (which was diminished to 52) have been break up into 9 teams of six groups every. The 9 group winners superior on to the World Cup, and the 4 finest second-place groups will enter a playoff spherical in November (two semifinals and a last). Full last standings might be discovered right here.

In November, the playoff semifinals will likely be:Gabon vs. Nigeria (Nov. 13)Congo DR vs. Cameroon (Nov. 13)

The winners will then face off on Nov. 18 with a view to advance to the intercontinental playoff spherical in March 2026.

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CONCACAF (North & Central America and the Caribbean)

What number of World Cup groups can qualify?6 routinely (3 co-hosts, 3 via qualifying), 2 enter the intercontinental playoff spherical

Who's in?Canada, Mexico, United States

What's subsequent in November?

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 started in September with three teams of 4 groups, and can conclude in November. The group winners transfer onto the World Cup, and the 2 finest runners-up get intercontinental playoff spots. Full standings might be discovered right here.

Group AGPWDLPtsSuriname41306Panama41306Guatemala41215El Salvador 41033 Group BGPWDLPtsJamaica43019Curaçao42208Trin. and Tob.41215Bermuda 40040 Group CGPWDLPtsHonduras 42208Costa Rica 41306Haiti41215Nicaragua40131 _____

CONMEBOL (South America)

What number of World Cup groups can qualify?6 routinely, 1 enters the intercontinental playoff spherical

Who's in?Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Colombia, Paraguay, Bolivia (intercontinental playoff)

How did issues end?

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. Bolivia will likely be heading to the intercontinental playoff. Venezuela, Chile and Peru are formally eradicated.

Full last standings might be discovered right here.

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OFC (Oceania)

What number of World Cup groups have certified?1 routinely, 1 enters the intercontinental playoff spherical

Who's in?New Zealand, New Caledonia (intercontinental playoff)

How did it end?

The 11-team qualifying event from this area, consisting of nations and territories within the South Pacific, concluded in March. One group emerged from Spherical 1, becoming a member of the seven top-ranked groups of the area. These eight groups have been break up into two teams for Spherical 2, with the highest two groups from every group advancing to the semifinals. Full last standings might be discovered right here.

Semifinals, March 21New Caledonia 3, Tahiti 0New Zealand 7, Fiji 0

Ultimate, March 24New Zealand 3, New Caledonia 0

New Zealand will head to the World Cup, whereas New Caledonia will likely be one of many six groups within the intercontinental playoff in March 2026.

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UEFA (Europe)

What number of World Cup groups can qualify?16 (12 routinely, 4 via a UEFA-only playoff)

Who's in?England

What's subsequent in November?

There are 54 (excluding Russia) groups who started the qualifying course of in March. 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.

England was the one group to clinch to date, whereas groups like Portugal, Spain, and France will now wait till November matches.

European groups can't attain the World Cup through the intercontinental playoff. Full present standings might be discovered right here.

Group APWDLPtsGermany43019N. Ireland43019Slovakia42016Luxembourg 40030 Group BPWDLPtsSwitzerland431010Kosovo42117Slovenia40313Sweden 40121 Group CPWDLPtsDenmark 431010Scotland431010Greece41033Belarus40040 Group DPWDLPtsFrance 431010Ukraine42117Iceland41124Azerbaijan40131 Group EPWDLPtsSpain 431010Turkey 43019Georgia41033Bulgaria42040 Group FPWDLPtsPortugal 431011Hungary 41215Rep. Ireland41124Armenia41033 Group GPWDLPtsNetherlands 651016Poland 641113Finland731310Lithuania70343Malta60242 Group HPWDLPtsAustria 650115Bosnia-Herz. 641113Romania631210Cyprus72238San Marino70070 Group IPWDLPtsNorway 660018Italy650115Israel73049Estonia71154Moldova60151 Group JPWDLPtsBelgium642014N. Macedonia 734013Wales631210Kazakhstan72147Liechtenstein60060 Group KPWDLPtsEngland* 660018Albania632111Serbia63127Latvia71245Andorra70161 Group LPWDLPtsCroatia 651016Czechia741113Faroe Isl. 740312Montenegro62046Gibraltar 60060 Need nice tales delivered proper to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports activities account, observe leagues, groups and gamers to obtain a personalised publication each day!