International Sports
Qatar, Cape Verde and South Africa among latest teams to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026
So far, 31 nations have booked their tickets for the 2026 tournament, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
The latest round of qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup 2026 has confirmed several new entrants, with Qatar, Cape Verde and South Africa grabbing global attention as the newest nations to secure their spots in next year’s expanded tournament.
Qatar made history last week by qualifying for the first time through the standard qualification route, defeating the United Arab Emirates to book their place. The 2022 World Cup hosts join an increasingly diverse list of confirmed nations as the global picture takes shape ahead of the 48-team event.
Africa’s qualifying campaign produced high drama, with South Africa sealing top spot in their group while continental heavyweights Nigeria were forced into the playoffs. Cape Verde also made headlines by qualifying for their first-ever World Cup, marking a milestone in the island nation’s football history.
So far, 31 nations have booked their tickets for the 2026 tournament, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Confirmed teams by region
- Hosts: Canada, Mexico, United States
- Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
- Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
- Europe: England
- Oceania: New Zealand
- South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
Still in contention
Several teams are battling for the remaining qualification and intercontinental playoff spots:
Africa: Cameroon, DR Congo, Gabon and Nigeria will fight for the final intercontinental berth in mid-November.
Asia: The UAE and Iraq will play over two legs for the last AFC playoff spot on November 13 and 18.
Europe: 53 teams remain in contention for 16 qualification places, with the final group matches ending on November 18.
North & Central America: Twelve teams — including Jamaica, Panama, Costa Rica and Honduras — are competing for three direct spots and one playoff place.
Oceania: New Caledonia have reached the intercontinental playoffs.
South America: Bolivia will represent the continent in the playoff stage.
Major teams eliminated
Former World Cup semifinalists Peru and Chile have missed out in South America, alongside Venezuela. In Asia, China, Bahrain, Indonesia and Palestine fell short, while Mali, Libya and Namibia exited the African race.
Road ahead
The final list of 48 teams will be confirmed by March 31, 2026, after the conclusion of the European and intercontinental playoff rounds.
The official World Cup draw will take place on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., an event announced by U.S. President Donald Trump alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off in Mexico City on June 11 and concludes with the final in New Jersey on July 19, promising the largest and most globally representative tournament in football history.