The road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is long and treacherous, with 206 countries competing through various pathways across six confederations for a spot at the sport's biggest event.
With co-hosts USA, Mexico and Canada automatically qualifying, 45 nations join them at the 48-team tournament.
A lot to sort through? Let's take a closer look at how each team qualified for the biggest World Cup yet.
Qualified teams:
- Australia
- Iran
- Japan
- Jordan
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- South Korea
- Uzbekistan
Forty-six teams began World Cup qualifying in Asia, with 28 eliminated after the second round. In the third round, 18 teams were split into three groups of six.
The top two teams from each of these groups (Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, Japan, Australia) qualified directly for the World Cup. The third-place and fourth-place teams advanced to the fourth round, where Saudi Arabia and Qatar emerged as qualifiers.
Iraq can earn an additional AFC berth through the intercontinental playoff, a six-team mini-tournament in March 2026 that will determine the final two World Cup participants.
AFC: 8 direct spots + 1 intercontinental playoff spot
Qualified teams:
- Algeria
- Cape Verde
- Egypt
- Ghana
- Ivory Coast
- Morocco
- Senegal
- South Africa
- Tunisia
Africa's 53 national teams were divided into nine groups, with each team playing every other team at home and away. After all group stage games were completed, the nine group winners automatically qualified for the World Cup.
Meanwhile, DR Congo could also qualify through the intercontinental playoff.
CAF: 9 direct spots + 1 intercontinental playoff spot
Qualified teams:
- Canada
- Curaçao
- Haiti
- Mexico
- Panama
- USA
The US, Mexico and Canada automatically qualified as tournament co-hosts, leaving three direct spots up for grabs during qualifiers between Concacaf's remaining 32 teams.
Panama, Haiti and Curaçao – the latter earning their first World Cup berth – secured their places via the third round of Concacaf qualifiers.
Suriname and Jamaica still have hope; they'll both compete at the intercontinental playoff in March 2026.
Concacaf: 6 direct spots + 1 intercontinental playoff spot
Qualified teams:
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Paraguay
- Uruguay
- Paraguay
Conmebol's 10 nations played home and away, with the top six automatically qualifying based on their place in the overall table.
Defending World Cup champions Argentina – with Inter Miami CF’s superstar duo of Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul in tow – topped the standings by nearly double digits with 38 points.
Fellow heavyweights Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay are also among the region’s six representatives. Bolivia can make it seven if they advance out of the intercontinental playoff in March 2026.
Conmebol: 6 direct spots + 1 intercontinental playoff spot
Qualified team:
- New Zealand
Only 11 nations competed in World Cup qualifying in Oceania; that was whittled down to a four-team playoff by the third and final round.
New Zealand and New Caledonia both reached the final, with the Kiwis prevailing to lock up the lone direct qualification spot. New Caledonia moved on to the intercontinental playoff.
OFC: 1 direct spot + 1 intercontinental playoff spot
Qualified teams:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Croatia
- England
- France
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Portugal
- Scotland
- Spain
- Switzerland
European qualifying featured 54 teams divided into 12 groups. Each group winner automatically advanced, while the remaining four spots are secured via a playoff system.
The qualified nations include eight teams in the top 10 of the FIFA World Rankings: Spain, France, England, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Croatia.
The runners-up in each group, as well as the four highest-ranked remaining Nations League teams (who did not finish in a top-two spot in their group), will settle the remaining four qualification spots via a 16-team playoff.
UEFA: 16 direct spots (12 automatic, 4 playoff)
