World Cup qualifying is heating up across the globe, and as of Thursday, at least 30 nations have officially booked their tickets to the expanded 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The tournament, set to be the largest in history, will take place across three host nations, the United States, Canada, and Mexico, from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
The hosts claim the first three automatic places, but 27 more countries have now secured qualification through their continental campaigns. This cycle has already produced several compelling storylines, including the rise of debutants Cape Verde, Jordan and Uzbekistan, and a surge of early dominance from traditional football powerhouses.
France became the most recent team to clinch qualification thanks to an emphatic 4–0 victory over Ukraine on Thursday night. Kylian Mbappé led the charge with a brace, while Michael Olise and Hugo Ekitike added to the scoreline, sealing France’s place at the 2026 tournament.
Meanwhile, Norway’s 4–1 win over Estonia has all but secured their qualification as they sit ahead of Italy in Group I.
Three nations will appear at a World Cup for the very first time:
Cape Verde
Cape Verde
Jordan
Uzbekistan
Their qualification marks one of the key narratives of this cycle, especially as the expanded format offers greater representation across continents.
Below is the complete list of qualified teams entering November’s qualifying window:
Host Nations (3)
Canada
Mexico
United States
AFC – Asia (8)
Australia
Iran
Japan
Jordan (debut)
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
South Korea
Uzbekistan (debut)
CAF – Africa (9)
Algeria
Cape Verde
Egypt
Ghana
Ivory Coast
Morocco
Senegal
South Africa
Tunisia
CONCACAF – North/Central America & Caribbean
None has yet qualified through the qualifiers (Hosts Canada, Mexico, and the USA are already in.)
CONMEBOL – South America (6)
Argentina
Brazil
Colombia
Ecuador
Paraguay
Uruguay
OFC – Oceania (1)
New Zealand
UEFA – Europe (3)
England
France
Norway (qualification all but confirmed ahead of Italy in Group I)
The 2026 World Cup introduces a record-breaking 48-team format, significantly reshaping the qualification landscape.
The 2026 World Cup introduces a record-breaking 48-team format, significantly reshaping the qualification landscape.
UEFA receives 16 slots, with group winners qualifying directly and runners-up entering play-offs.
CAF secures 9 places,
AFC gets 8,
CONMEBOL and CONCACAF each have at least 6,
OFC receives 1 guaranteed slot for the first time.
The final two spots will be determined via a six-team inter-confederation play-off in March 2026, featuring one team from each confederation except UEFA, plus an additional team from the host nations’ confederation.
