World Cup 2026 Teams — All 48 Qualified Nations

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition to feature 48 teams, up from 32 in 2022. The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026 across 16 cities in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, with 104 matches played across 12 groups. All 48 teams were confirmed by 1 April 2026, after the UEFA and inter-confederation playoffs decided the final six spots. Defending champions Argentina headline a field that also includes first-time qualifiers Curaçao, Cape Verde, Jordan, and Uzbekistan.

All 12 Groups — World Cup 2026

Teams by Confederation

Host Nations (automatic qualification): USA, Canada, Mexico.

UEFA (Europe — 16 spots): England, France, Croatia, Norway, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Scotland, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Sweden, Türkiye, Czechia.

CONMEBOL (South America — 6 spots): Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay.

CAF (Africa — 9 spots): Algeria, Cameroon, Cape Verde, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia. (Note: South Africa qualified via the CAF process.)

AFC (Asia — 8 spots): Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan.

CONCACAF (North & Central America — 6 spots): Costa Rica, Curaçao, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, (+ co-hosts USA, Canada, Mexico).

Inter-confederation playoffs: DR Congo (CAF) and Iraq (AFC) claimed the final two spots, defeating Jamaica and Bolivia respectively in March 2026 finals.

Notable Storylines

Italy miss out again: Italy were eliminated by Bosnia & Herzegovina on penalties (4–1) in the UEFA Path A final — their third consecutive World Cup absence, and the first time a former champion has missed three in a row.

World Cup debutants: Curaçao, Cape Verde, Jordan, and Uzbekistan will all appear at a World Cup for the first time. DR Congo and Haiti return for the first time since 1974.

Defending champions: Argentina, winners in Qatar 2022 with Lionel Messi, are drawn into Group J alongside Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.

If you're planning to attend, don't forget to secure your hotels, flights, and tickets in advance — demand is record-breaking for this expanded tournament.