The FIFA World Cup should be greater than ever next year with the 23rd edition of the Mega-Event involving 48 teams-against 32, which had been the 1998 norm to the most recent edition in 2022. For the first time in the 100 years of the Tournament, the FIFA World Cup will be organized through three countries taking place in the United States, Mexico and Canada, next year.
Mexico will become the first nation to host FIFA World Cup matches in three editions (1970, while the tournament returns to the United States for the first time since 1994.
The qualification for the tournament is in full swing with a handful of nations that have already qualified for the World Cup with more than a year to do.
How many teams have already qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
In total, seven teams have already qualified for the World Cup next year. Three of them – in the United States, Mexico and Canada – have already qualified due to host nations. It will be the second moment in the history of the FIFA World Cup of two or more teams automatically qualifying for the finals as hosts, which took place previously during the 2002 edition in South Korea and Japan.
Four teams have already obtained their place in the tournament through the qualifications – the title champions of Argentina (Conmebol), Japan and Iran (AFC) and New Zealand (OFC).
New Zealand returns to the World Cup after a 16-year gap after defeating New Caledonia 3-0 in the OFC final while Japan and Iran are assured of one finish among the two in their respective groups in the third round of the AFC World Cup qualifications.
The reigning champions Argentina has become the last team to qualify after Bolivia held Uruguay to a tireless draw, with “the Albiceleste” later celebrating their qualification with a 4-1 battery of arc rivals and five-time Brazil world champion.
What is the qualification system for the FIFA World Cup at 48 teams next year?
The tournament extending to 48 teams of 32 compared to next year means more slots for all confederations. Here is an overview of the slots available for each of the six confederations:
UEFA (Europe): A total of 16 slots were reserved for European teams during the World Cup of 48 teams. The qualifier of the UEFA World Cup includes 54 teams divided into 12 groups of four or five teams. The group’s winners advance directly for the World Cup final while the 12 finalists join four other teams – four group winners of the best classified nations who have not already qualified – as a qualifying series to determine the four remaining slots.
None of the European teams has qualified so far for the World Cup with UEFA qualifications that started in March.
Conmebol (South America): The South American qualifiers have 10 teams participating in a large group, in which the six First Nations qualify for the World Cup finals while the seventh place team enters the intercontinental playoffs.
Argentina has already qualified for the World Cup with 31 points, eight more than the second equator, while Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay and Colombia are the remaining teams of the qualification zone.
Concacaf (North, Central America and Caribbean): Six teams from North America and Central America as well as the Caribbean will appear in the World Cup, which includes the three host nations that have automatically qualified. Unless the guests of the tournament, none of the teams has qualified so far for the World Cup and these slots are likely to be filled in the fall.
Concacaf qualifications have 30 teams divided into six groups, each comprising five teams. The two best teams in each group go to the next round, where the 12 teams are divided into three groups of four teams each. The group’s winners advance directly while the two best -classified finalists take place towards the intercontinental qualifiers.
CAF (Africa): A total of nine slots have been reserved for African teams, with a 10th potentially qualifying by the intercontinental playoffs. The CAF qualifiers have nine groups of six teams each, in which the group’s winners advance directly in the final. The top four finalists then advance to the playoffs to determine which team will go to intercontinental qualifiers.
Like Europe, none of the African teams has so far confirmed its place in the World Cup. However,
AFC (Asia): Eight Asian teams are assured of a place in the World Cup with a team that progresses to the intercontinental qualifiers. The first cycle of qualifications which took place in October 2023 had 20 lower class teams divided into two pots. A Pot 1 team was drawn to a Pot 2 team, and the two teams clashed at home for a place in the second round.
The second round which took place between November 2023 and June 2024 had 36 teams divided into nine groups of four. Among the teams that arise in this Tour, 10 qualified in Tour 1 and 26 received a bye in the second round. Each team faced the remaining teams of their home group at home.
IRA 🇮🇷 joined Japan 🇯🇵 to reserve their tickets 🎟️ 🌎 Which teams will advance then?#Asianqualifying | # Journeyto26 | @qatarairways pic.twitter.com/3kmsleiscm
– #Asianqualifiers (@Afcasiancup) March 26, 2025
The winner and finalist of each group qualified in the third round and also qualified for the AFC Asian Cup. India had finished third in group A, behind 2022, hosts in Qatar and Kuwait and above Afghanistan. The 18 teams featuring in the third round were divided into three groups of six teams each, in which each team plays the remaining teams in their group on a basis of the round at home.
The two best teams in each group advance directly for the World Cup while the third and fourth teams placed are headed for the fourth round – where six teams are divided into two groups of three in which the winners qualify for the World Cup and the finalists play a two -legged confrontation for a place in the intercontinental qualifiers.
OFC (Oceania): Oceania has only one direct niche for the finals of the World Cup, which was captured by New Zealand. The whites of all will only make their third World Cup appearance next year, having guaranteed an automatic place in the extended World Cup of 48 teams. They also defeated New Caledonia 3-0 in the qualifications on Oceania.
The first round presented four of the less classified teams in competition in a series of direct elimination matches, with the winner in advance in the second round, where they joined the seven best classified teams. The eight teams in the second round were divided into two groups of four, in which the first two parts progressed in the third and last round.
Tour 3 had a format similar to that of Tour 1, in which four teams participated in three direct elimination games – two semi -finals and a final. New Zealand hammered the Fiji 7-0 before their victory over New Caledonia, which qualified for the intercontinental playoffs.
Intercontinental playoffs: Intercontinental playoffs will take place in March of next year, three months before the end of the finals. In total, six teams will be in action in this Tour, one from Conmebol, CAF, AFC and OFC and two of the Concacaf.
Two of these teams will be sown and will participate directly in the two finals while the four non-series teams will have to go through the semi-finals. The winners of the two finals will then join the 46 teams remaining in the World Cup final.
