Qualified Teams for the 2026 World Cup — Full List of 48
These are the 48 teams qualified for the 2026 World Cup, the first edition with the expanded format, drawn into 12 groups (A–L). Here is the complete list by confederation and by group, how the slots are allocated, and when the tournament kicks off across the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Qualified teams by confederation
The 48 places at the 2026 World Cup are split across the six confederations. Three slots go to the host nations, who qualify automatically.
| Confederation | Teams | Nations |
|---|
| UEFA (Europe) | 16 | Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Croatia, Czechia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye |
| CAF (Africa) | 10 | Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia |
| AFC (Asia) | 9 | Australia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan |
| CONMEBOL (South America) | 6 | Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay |
| CONCACAF (North & Central America) | 6 | Canada *, Curaçao, Haiti, Mexico *, Panama, USA * |
| OFC (Oceania) | 1 | New Zealand |
* Host nation (qualified automatically).
All 48 qualified teams by group
How do teams qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
Each confederation is allocated a number of places decided through its continental qualifiers. The three hosts — USA, Mexico and Canada — qualify automatically. Once all 48 qualified teams are set, they are drawn into 12 groups of four: the top two from each group, plus the eight best third-placed teams, advance to the Round of 32.
Host nations
The 2026 World Cup is held across three countries for the first time: the USA, Mexico and Canada, all already qualified as hosts. The opening match is Mexico vs South Africa on 11 June 2026 at the Estadio Azteca, and the final is on 19 July at MetLife Stadium.
Frequently asked questions
How many teams qualified for the 2026 World Cup?
A total of 48 teams qualified for the 2026 World Cup, drawn into 12 groups of four. It is the first World Cup to use this expanded 48-team format.
How many European teams qualified?
UEFA (Europe) has 16 teams at the 2026 World Cup, the most of any confederation, followed by Africa (CAF) with 10 and Asia (AFC) with 9.
Which teams qualified automatically?
The three host nations — USA, Mexico and Canada — qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup.
When does the 2026 World Cup start?
The 2026 World Cup begins on 11 June 2026 with the opening match Mexico vs South Africa at the Estadio Azteca.