Levi Rothermund
2026 World Cup: 18 teams qualified so far and the spots still up for grabs
Eighteen of the 48 tournament places for the 2026 World Cup have already been claimed. At least nine more places were set to be decided during the October 2025 international window, with Asia and Africa contributing all of those guaranteed slots.
Who is already through
- Hosts (automatic): Canada, Mexico, United States
- Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Uzbekistan
- Oceania: New Zealand
- Africa: Morocco, Tunisia
- South America: Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia
Jordan and Uzbekistan will appear at a World Cup finals for the first time.
Inter-confederation play-offs
Two places at the World Cup will be decided by an inter-confederation mini-tournament in March 2026. Six teams will enter those play-offs and two will qualify for the finals. So far two entrants are confirmed:
- Bolivia (South America) — finished seventh in CONMEBOL qualifying
- New Caledonia (Oceania) — lost to New Zealand in the Oceania final but progress to the inter-confederation play-offs
By confederation — what’s left to settle
Asia (AFC)
Qualification began in October 2023. Asia has nine direct spots plus one place that goes into the inter-confederation play-offs. Six teams have already qualified — Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea and Uzbekistan — and the winners of the two fourth-round groups were due to be confirmed in October 2025. One more side will progress to the inter-confederation play-offs after an Asia play-off in November 2025.
Africa (CAF)
There are nine groups of six teams. The group winners qualify directly — Morocco and Tunisia were the first to clinch their places. The final two rounds of group fixtures were scheduled for October 2025, with seven African spots to be decided across those games. The best four runners-up will enter an African play-off in November for a chance to reach the inter-confederation play-offs.
South America (CONMEBOL)
A single league of 10 teams, playing 18 matches each, supplies six direct qualifiers and a seventh-place team that goes to the inter-confederation play-offs. With qualifying finished, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay and Colombia have all secured their places. Bolivia beat Brazil 1-0 in the final round to grab the play-off slot.
Oceania (OFC)
Oceania’s direct spot is taken by New Zealand, who beat New Caledonia 3-0 in the final. New Caledonia will now contest the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026.
CONCACAF
Three hosts are already in the finals, so no qualifiers were needed for Canada, Mexico and the United States. CONCACAF still has additional places to fill. A third round of qualification featuring 12 teams began in October 2025; group winners go straight to the World Cup and the two best runners-up head to the inter-confederation play-offs. Early leaders after the opening rounds included Suriname, Jamaica and Honduras.
Europe (UEFA)
Europe has 16 places. Qualifying uses 12 groups — the group winners qualify and the runners-up go into play-offs that also involve the top Nations League teams who have not qualified. UEFA does not supply any teams to the inter-confederation play-offs. Group leaders at this stage included Slovakia, Switzerland, Denmark, France, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Norway, North Macedonia, England and Croatia. England were in the strongest position in their group and could clinch a place with a win over Latvia in October depending on other results.
Key matches and scenarios heading into October 2025
- Asia: two automatic spots were to be decided by the winners of the fourth-round groups in October.
- Africa: seven places were to be decided across the final two rounds of group fixtures in October 2025. Several groups remain open — Egypt, DR Congo, Senegal, South Africa, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Algeria and Ghana are among the teams in contention.
- Europe: groups finish in November 2025, with play-offs in March 2026.
- Inter-confederation play-offs: six teams will meet in March 2026 for two World Cup places; confirmed entrants include Bolivia and New Caledonia.
The qualifying systems vary by confederation so the path to the finals looks different depending on where a team plays. Oceania has already finished, South America is complete, and several continents still have decisive fixtures to come this autumn.