As of November 2025, we know 42 of the 48 teams that will participate in the 2026 World Cup. The remaining six will be determined in two separate play-offs in March 2026. The first one is among 16 European teams, organized in four groups based on their FIFA rankings. The winner of each group will earn a spot in the World Cup.

UEFA play-off participants:

• Albania
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Czechia
• Slovakia
• Ukraine
• Republic of Ireland
• Poland
• Italy
• Northern Ireland
• Denmark
• Türkiye
• Kosovo
• Wales
• Romania
• Sweden
• North Macedonia

The last two spots will be decided by a play-off tournament among six national teams: two from Concacaf and one apiece from the AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL, and OFC. The play-off will take place in March 2026. Of the six participants, the four lowest-ranked nations in the FIFA world ranking will meet in the semi-finals. The two highest-ranked teams will go directly into the finals. The two winners will go to the World Cup 26.

Inter-conference play-off participants:

• Bolivia
• Congo DR
• New Caledonia
• Iraq
• Jamaica
• Suriname