9 Sep 2025: The road to the FIFA World Cup 2026 is heating up, and fans around the world are closely watching as national teams secure their spots in football’s biggest tournament. With qualifiers taking place across six confederations, several teams have already booked their tickets to the expanded 48-team tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
As hosts, USA, Canada, and Mexico automatically qualified for the World Cup. This marks a historic moment as it will be Canada’s second appearance in a World Cup, having previously qualified in 1986, while the U.S. and Mexico will be making their 12th and 18th appearances, respectively.
From Europe (UEFA), powerhouses such as France, Portugal, and England have already sealed qualification after dominating their groups in the European qualifiers. Defending champions Argentina are also through after a strong run in the South American qualifiers, alongside Brazil, who remain one of the most consistent World Cup participants in history.
In Asia (AFC), Japan and South Korea became the first teams from the region to confirm their spots, continuing their streak of consecutive qualifications. Australia also qualified after a decisive win in their group, showcasing their dominance in the AFC region.
African qualifiers are still ongoing, but Morocco — one of the standout performers of the 2022 World Cup — have nearly sealed their qualification following a string of victories. Nigeria and Senegal are also favorites to make it through in the next round.
With the tournament expanding to 48 teams for the first time, fans can expect to see more debutants and emerging football nations participating. This expansion allows six additional slots for UEFA, more representation from Africa and Asia, and a guaranteed place for Oceania’s top team.
The qualification journey will continue into 2025, with playoffs determining the final few places. FIFA has confirmed that the playoff tournament will include six teams from different confederations, with two winners earning the last spots in the World Cup.
Football fans can anticipate a highly competitive and diverse tournament in 2026, with more nations than ever before vying for glory on the global stage. The group stage draw is expected in late 2025, which will officially set the stage for the tournament.
Summary:
FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers see USA, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, France, Portugal, Japan, and South Korea secure early spots. Expanded 48-team format promises the most diverse tournament in history.