Who has qualified for World Cup 2026? Full list of teams heading to the United States, Canada & Mexico

Here is a picture of the various regional qualification campaigns and the teams that are close to securing qualification:

AFC

The last two automatic spots from Asian qualifying were filled in October, leaving UAE and Iraq to fight it out in November for a place in the inter-confederation play-offs.

See the full AFC World Cup 2026 qualifying picture here.

CAF

Qualifying in Africa lasted almost two years, with the last of the nine automatic qualifiers confirmed in October. In November, Nigeria secured their place in the final of the African play-offs with a 4-1 win over Gabon. The Super Eagles will face DR Congo, who beat Cameroon 1-0 in their qualifier, on Sunday to decide who will represent the continent in the inter-confederation match-ups.

See the full CAF World Cup 2026 qualifying picture here.

CONCACAF

With the United States, Canada and Mexico qualifying automatically as hosts, the CONCACAF qualification stage has a different complexion. The decisive third round will culminate in November, with Jamaica, Honduras and Suriname currently in position to qualify from their respective groups.

CONMEBOL

Qualifying in South America concluded in September as the last of the continent's six automatic qualifiers were confirmed. Seventh-placed Bolivia have earned a spot in March's inter-confederation play-offs as they aim to secure their first World Cup appearance since 1994.

See the full CONEMBOL World Cup 2026 qualifying picture here.

OFC

With New Zealand having secured automatic qualification, New Caledonia advanced to the inter-confederation play-offs.

See the full OFC World Cup 2026 qualifying picture here.

UEFA

UEFA qualifying got under way in March, though some teams didn't kick-off their campaigns until September due to the Nations League. As such, the majority of European qualifiers won't be confirmed until November, with Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium and Croatia all one win away from sealing their spots, while Spain, Switzerland and Norway are also well placed.

See the full UEFA World Cup 2026 qualifying picture here.

France clinched qualification with a game to spare thanks to a 4-0 win over Ukraine. Didier Deschamps' men remain unbeaten in the group, ahead of a final fixture against Azerbaijan, and possess bags of firepower.

Kylian Mbappe remains the main man, but Hugo Ekitike opened his international account against Ukraine and Deschamps also has the likes of Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue to call upon. The World Cup-winning manager has already confirmed he will step down after the 2026 tournament and will be hoping he can bow out in style with his team on top once again.

For a nation that has produced so many top-class footballers over the years, it's incredible that Cote d'Ivoire - or the Ivory Coast - haven't been to a World Cup since the 2014 edition in Brazil.

Nevertheless, they will get the chance to right some of their previous qualifying wrongs in 2026 after pipping Gabon to top spot in CAF Group F, taking 26 points from a possible 30 to overcome Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Co.

The Lions of Teranga needed to be at their very best in order to stave off fierce competition from the Democratic Republic of Congo in CAF Group B, winning seven and drawing three of their 10 qualifiers to advance to the World Cup.

Senegal wrapped up their qualification bid with an emphatic 4-0 win against Mauritania in front of a lively home crowd to get the party started in Dakar. Boasting the likes of Sadio Mane, Nicolas Jackson, Iliman Ndiaye and Pape Matar Sarr, they could be one to watch in North America.

The team responsible for the biggest shock of the 2022 World Cup, where Saudi Arabia beat eventual winners Argentina in their opening game, will officially be part of the 2026 gathering after making their way through the gauntlet of AFC qualification.

Having been forced into the fourt round, Herve Renard's side headed into their match with Iraq needing a draw while knowing their opponents would overtake them in their three-team group with a victory of their own. But the Green Falcons managed to grind out a 0-0 draw to ensure they would be the ones taking the final automatic spot from Asia.

England predictably made light work of their qualification group under new manager Thomas Tuchel, sailing through to the World Cup finals with a perfect record still in tact and with two games to spare. The Three Lions, led by the firepower of Harry Kane, averaged three goals a game by the time they secured their spot in North America.

Qualification was a mere formality for the 1966 winners, who are out to claim world glory on foreign soil for the first time.

World Cups appear to be like London buses for Qatar, who hadn't participated at one until they were hosts in 2022 and have now qualified for the 2026 edition on foreign soil. After edging into round four of Asian qualification, they had to stave off competition from Oman and the United Arab Emirates to ensure progression to the finals.

It all came down to what was essentially a play-off with the UAE in which Qatar had to win, and win they did at the very last to book their place in North America.

For the first time since they hosted the tournament all the way back in 2010, South Africa will compete at a men's World Cup. Bafana Bafana raced into a huge lead in qualifying Group C early on, though a stumble down the stretch of recent international windows saw them take qualification to the final matchday.

They managed to beat Rwanda 3-0 in their last game to ensure they held off Nigeria and Benin for top spot, sparking wild celebrations as they ended 16 years of pain away from the game's biggest international tournament.

Following in the footsteps of Jordan and Uzbekistan, Cape Verde became the third nation to book a first-ever World Cup appearance in 2026. More impressively, they are the second-smallest country by population to qualify in the tournament's 95-year history, after Iceland in 2018.

The island nation off Africa's west coast did it in style too. They won seven of 10 qualifiers to top CAF Group D ahead of a Cameroon side able to boast much more high-profile players. For example, Dailon Livramento, the team's top scorer in qualifying with four goals, is on loan in 2025-26 at little known Liga Portugal club Casa Pia from Hellas Verona.

After failing to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, expectations were relatively low for Ghana heading into World Cup qualifying, but Otto Addo's side bounced back in impressive fashion to reach the finals for the fifth time since their debut in 2006.

Premier League stars Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Kudus - who scored the winner against Comoros to secure qualification - will be expected to lead from the front for the Black Stars as they aim to avoid a third-successive group-stage exit.

Algeria will head to the World Cup for the first time in 12 years when Riyad Mahrez and co. arrive in North America next summer. 

Back in 2014, they reached the last 16, where they were beaten by Germany. They have played at three other tournaments as an independent nation, being eliminated in the group stages in 1982, 1986, and 2010. The latter, of course, included an infamous 0-0 draw with England. 

Egypt will be back at the World Cup in 2026 after failing to qualify for the competition in Qatar four years ago. In 2018, Egypt were eliminated at te group stage after finishing bottom of Group A, losing all three matches they played. 

The north Africans have played in three global tournaments in total and have progressed beyond the group stage only once, back in 1934. The 2026 edition could be Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah's last appearance at the World Cup and the forward will hope to produce a memorable result for his nation.

Tunisia will be back at the World Cup in 2026, after being eliminated at the group stage in 2022. They won one game at that tournament, beating France 1-0. 

The north Africans have played in six global tournaments in total but have never progressed beyond the group stage; they will be out to make the knockouts for the very first time next summer. 

Morocco will return to the world stage in 2026 after breezing through their qualifying campaign to claim one of CAF's nine places at next summer's tournament. 

Africa's first nation to qualify are stacked with quality, and they will be looking to repeat their run to the semi-finals in 2022 with the likes of Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz, Bilal El Khannouss and Nayef Aguerd leading the side.

Colombia are back at the World Cup after their 3–0 win over Bolivia in September sealed a return to a tournament they last featured in in 2018. 

Icon James Rodríguez continues to make his mark, while the team now also features top talents such as Bayern Munich’s Luis Diaz, Fenerbache's Jhon Duran and Wolves' Jhon Arias. Los Cafeteros will hope they can go one step further from their best showing in the tournament in 2014, where they made the quarter-finals.

Paraguay's 16-year wait for a return to the World Cup has come to an end after earning themselves a top-six finish in CONMEBOL qualifying. Atlanta United's Miguel Almiron is the team's biggest star, and they hope to match what they achieved in 2010, when they reached the quarter-finals before losing to Spain.

The two-time World Cup winners sealed their qualification after beating Peru in September. Real Madrid's Federico Valverde leads a side that also contains Darwin Nunez and Ronald Araujo, all led by legendary coach Marcelo Bielsa.

Ecuador had to wait until 2002 to make their World Cup debut, but 2026 will mark their fifth appearance at the finals after a qualification campaign that saw them overcome a three-point deduction to secure a top-six finish in the CONMEBOL table.

Moises Caicedo is the star of an improving side, and there will be high hopes of them reaching the knockout stages for just the second time.

Brazil have continued their perfect record of qualification, securing their 23rd‑straight appearance in the world’s biggest sporting event.

Despite their success in reaching the tournament, the Selecao haven’t won it since 2002 - a long drought for the five‑time champions, who remain the most decorated nation since the World Cup began in 1930.

Australia are into their sixth-successive World Cup after beating Saudi Arabia to the final automatic spot in AFC Group C.

The Socceroos boast a rather experienced squad but have a few talents coming to the fore who may be ready in time for 2026.

Jordan have qualified for the first-ever World Cup after they beat Iraq in June 2025 to attain a top-two finish in Group B of the third round of AFC qualifying.

South Korea have qualified for their 11th consecutive World Cup as they look to go one better compared to the last tournament when they lost to Brazil in the last 16.

With the likes of Tottenham's Son Heung-min, Wolves' Hwang Hee-chan, Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae and Paris Saint-Germain's Lee Kang-in, South Korea will be hoping to fight deeper into the tournament.

Uzbekistan have qualified for their first-ever World Cup, having finished in the top two in Group A of the AFC's third-round of qualifiers.

Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan did not see its national team take part in a World Cup qualifying campaign until 1997. Now, they are off to the 2026 World Cup.

It was never really in doubt, but Argentina will officially be able to defend their crown in 2026 after securing progression from CONMEBOL qualifying.

La Albiceleste will be on the hunt for a fourth title, while they can become the first country since Brazil in 1962 to retain the trophy in what will surely be Lionel Messi's final World Cup.

Iran have sealed their spot at a fourth-successive World Cup as they aim to go beyond the group stage at the finals for the first time in their history.

Mehdi Taremi is still knocking in goals at the age of 32 and will again be tasked with leading Team Melli in North America.

The All Whites will be heading to the World Cup for the third time in their history after securing qualification from the OFC section.

New Zealand previously competed in the 1982 and 2010 World Cups, so the current crop of players - led by the free-scoring Nottingham Forest star Chris Wood - will be keen to make their presence felt after a 16-year absence.

Japan have qualified for a seventh consecutive World Cup, having booked their place by finishing top of their group in the AFC third round of qualifying.

With the likes of Takefusa Kubo, Wataru Endo, Kaoru Mitoma and Ritsu Doan in their ranks, the Samurai Blue will hope to go beyond the round of 16 for the first time.

Canada will feature in the men's World Cup for the third time in their history, thanks to the fact that they are one of the tournament's co-hosts. The 2026 edition will be their second tournament in a row, having competed in Qatar 2022.

With players such as Alphonso Davies, Stephen Eustaquio and Jonathan David in their ranks, Canada will be eager to make history on home soil by getting out of the groups.

The 2026 edition of the World Cup will be the third time Mexico has served as the host country, having previously hosted iconic tournaments in 1970 and 1986.

El Tri are well-accustomed to the World Cup stage and this will be their 18th appearance. However, they have never got past the quarter-final stage and will be aiming to upset the odds by mounting a genuine charge at glory.

Like Canada and Mexico, the United States are automatic qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup by virtue of being joint hosts. It will be the USMNT's 12th appearance on this stage, and fans will be hopeful that they can go further into the knockout stage this time around.

Boasting stars such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams, Mauricio Pochettino's side will be quietly confident of their ability to match the best teams in the world despite some recent tournament disappointments.