The three host countries qualified automatically for the 2026 World Cup: Mexico, Canada, and the United States. They will occupy three of the six spots available for the Concacaf region (North America, Central America, and the Caribbean).

This is going to be the first World Cup played with 48 teams, organized in 12 groups. “Adopting 12 groups of four was chosen over the option of 16 groups of three teams, based on a thorough review that took into consideration a number of factors, including team and fan experience, player welfare and sporting integrity,” according to FIFA.

This is the distribution of places per federation:

AFC (Asia): 8 spots, plus one playoff spot

CAF (Africa): 9 spots, plus one playoff spot

Concacaf (North America, Central America and Caribbean): 3 automatic spots, 3 spots and 2 playoff spots

Conmebol: 6 spots, plus one playoff spot

OFC (Oceania): 1 spot and one playoff spot

UEFA (Europe): 16 spots

As of April 2026, all 48 teams have qualified for the 2026 World Cup.

The first national team to qualify on its own merits was Japan on March 20, 2026, followed by New Zealand and Iran, also in March 2025.

The complete list is below, updated in November 2025:

Full list of teams qualified to the 2026 World Cup

1. United States (Concacaf)
2. Canada (Concacaf)
3. Mexico (Concacaf)
4. Japan (AFC)
5. New Zealand (OFC)
6. Iran (AFC)
7. Argentina (Conmebol)
8. Uzbekistan (AFC)
9. Jordan (AFC)
10. South Korea (AFC)
11. Brazil (Conmebol)
12. Ecuador (Conmebol)
13. Australia (AFC)
14. Uruguay (Conmebol)
15. Paraguay (Conmebol)
16. Colombia (Conmebol)
17. Morocco (CAF)
18. Tunisia (CAF)
19. Egypt (CAF)
20. Algeria (CAF)
21. Ghana (CAF)
22. Cabo Verde (CAF)
23. South Africa (CAF)
24. Qatar (AFC)
25. England (UEFA)
26. Senegal (CAF)
27. Ivory Coast (CAF)
28. Saudi Arabia (AFC)
29. France (UEFA)
30. Croatia (UEFA)
31. Norway (UEFA)
32. Portugal (UEFA)
33. Germany (UEFA)
34. Netherlands (UEFA)
35. Belgium (UEFA)
36. Austria (UEFA)
37. Spain (UEFA)
38. Switzerland (UEFA,)
39. Scotland (UEFA)
40. Curaçao (Concacaf)
41. Haiti (Concacaf)
42. Panama (Concacaf)
43. Bosnia and Herzegovina (UEFA)
44. Czechia (UEFA)
45. Sweden (UEFA)
46. Turkey (UEFA)
47. DR Congo (CAF)
48. Iraq (AFC)