Get to Know the Teams Qualified for the 2026 World Cup to Date

14 أكتوبر 2025
01:30

Khaberni - We review the teams qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, amid a record Arab participation due to the increase in the number of teams at the World Cup.

The qualification process and the world's preparations for the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026, continue. This edition is the largest in the history of the World Cup, featuring 48 teams for the first time.

One day after Ghana qualified, Cape Verde reached the World Cup for the first time in its history by securing the top spot in its group with a 3-0 win over Eswatini in the African qualifying rounds this Monday.

The archipelago, located in West Africa and with a population of about 600,000, becomes the second smallest country to qualify for the finals, held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, throughout history.

Here are the teams that have secured their qualification to the 2026 World Cup so far, alongside their best previous results in the tournament history:

Starting with the host teams:

• United States:

Participation: Host.

Best Performance: Third place (1930).

• Mexico:

Participation: Host.

Best Performance: Quarter-finals (1970 / 1986).

• Canada:

Participation: Host.

Best Performance: Group stage (1986 / 2022).

Asia

• Japan: Qualified on March 20.

Best Performance: Round of 16 (2002 / 2010 / 2018 / 2022).

• Iran: Qualified on March 25.

Best Performance: Group stage (1978 / 1998 / 2006 / 2014 / 2018 / 2022).

• South Korea: Qualified on June 5th.

Best Performance: Fourth place (2002).

• Uzbekistan: Qualified on June 5th.

Best Performance: First appearance.

• Jordan: Qualified on June 5th.

Best Performance: First appearance.

• Australia: Qualified on June 10th.

Best Performance: Round of 16 (2006 / 2022).

Africa

• Morocco: Qualified on September 5th.

Best Performance: Semi-final (2022).

• Tunisia: Qualified on September 8th.

Best Performance: Group stage (1978 / 1998 / 2002 / 2006 / 2018 / 2022).

• Egypt: Qualified on October 8th.

Best Performance: Round of 16 (1934).

• Algeria: Qualified for the fifth time in its history.

• Best Performance: Round of 16 (2014).

• Ghana

• Cape Verde

South America

• Brazil: Qualified on June 10th.

Best Performance: Winner (1958 / 1962 / 1970 / 1994 / 2002).

• Argentina: Qualified on March 25th.

Best Performance: Winner (1978 / 1986 / 2022).

• Uruguay: Qualified on September 4th.

Best Performance: Winner (1930 / 1950).

• Colombia: Qualified on September 4th.

Best Performance: Quarter-finals (2014).

• Paraguay: Qualified on September 4th.

Best Performance: Quarter-finals (2010).

• Ecuador: Qualified on June 10th.

Best Performance: Round of 16 (2006).

Oceania

• New Zealand: Qualified on March 24th.

Best Performance: Group stage (1982 / 2010).

Outstanding Arab Representation

Four Arab teams have qualified so far for the upcoming World Cup, they are:

• Morocco (champion of the historic achievement in 2022).

• Jordan (first participation).

• Tunisia (six previous participations).

• Egypt (returning after absence since 2018).

Arab countries hope to replicate or surpass the achievement of the "Atlas Lions," who reached the semi-finals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the first Arab and African team to do so.

Distribution of Qualified Teams

• Asia (8)

• Africa (9)

• CONCACAF (6)

• South America (6)

• Oceania (1)

• Europe (16).

This distribution represents 46 out of the 48 participating teams. A play-off tournament involving six other teams will determine the last two World Cup spots.

2026 World Cup System

The 48 participating teams are spread across 12 groups of 4 teams each, allowing the winner and runner-up from each group to advance to the round of 32, implemented for the first time in World Cup history, in addition to the best 8 teams that finish third in their groups.

The opening game is set for June 11, 2026, at the "Azteca" stadium in Mexico. The final is scheduled for July 19, 2026, at the "MetLife Stadium" in New York.

16 stadiums will host the finals (11 in the United States, 3 in Mexico, and 2 in Canada).