World Cup 2026: Which countries qualified and how did they do it? | World Cup 2026
Africa
Four of the nine automatic spots have been filled, with the four best runners-up in November’s All-Africa qualifiers competing for one place in the continental qualifiers. SenegalSouth Sudan’s 5-0 win at Juba Stadium on Friday kept the Teranga Lions at the top of Group B and they will book their place if they beat Mauritania on Tuesday. Gabon beat Gambia 4-3 Ivory Coast Kenya must beat Kenya at home on Tuesday despite thumping Seychelles 7-0.
Egypt
Mohamed Salah scored two goals to lead Hossam Hassan’s team to victory over Djibouti 3-0 on Wednesday in Casablanca, and made up for missing Qatar 2022 by reaching the finals with a postponed match. This will be Egypt’s fourth final, although they have not won any matches yet. Strangely enough, the Pharaohs qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 1930, but they missed their boat heading from Marseille to South America after a storm delayed them.
Morocco
The undisputed neutral team in the last finals became the first African country to reach the 2026 finals, with a landslide victory over Niger 5-0 on September 5 in Rabat. The team qualified for the Qatar 2022 semi-finals from Group E with two matches remaining after Tanzania drew 1-1 in Congo-Brazzaville. The Atlas Lions have reached the finals six times and will co-host the 2030 edition alongside Portugal and Spain (the opening three matches will be held in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay).
Tunisia
Likewise, the Carthage Eagles qualified with two matches remaining in Group H. A last-minute goal by Mohamed Ben Ramadan and a challenge from goalkeeper Ayman Dahmane in Malabo against Equatorial Guinea ensured Tunisia reached the finals for the seventh time, although they have not yet progressed beyond the group stage.
Algeria
Vladimir Petkovic’s side secured their place after a comfortable 3-0 win over Somalia on Thursday. Mohamed Ammoura scored two goals, raising the Wolfsburg striker’s tally in the qualifiers to eight, and captain Riyad Mahrez added another goal. The win moved them four points ahead of second-placed Uganda in Group G with one round to go. This will be Algeria’s fifth participation in the World Cup finals, but its first since Brazil in 2014.
See the full CAF standings here.
Asia
Six of the eight countries qualified directly, with a further place available through continental qualifiers after a regional play-off in November.
Australia
Australia reached the finals last June after recovering from a goal down to beat Saudi Arabia in Jeddah. Connor Metcalfe’s first goal for his country before half-time restored parity, before Mitch Duke’s header from a Martin Boyle free-kick three minutes into the second half completed the Socceroos’ revival. After failing to beat Bahrain and Indonesia, Australia finished their campaign with wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia to qualify automatically, their sixth consecutive World Cup.
Iran
There was little drama as Iran twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Group A rivals Uzbekistan on March 25 thanks to a Mehdi Taremi brace. Iran reached the finals for the first time in 1978, but in six tournaments they have yet to advance beyond the group stage. Their finest hour to date came against the United States in Lyon in the 1998 finals, where a 2-1 win sparked delirium in the streets of Tehran. They met again in Qatar, and the group match ended 1-0 in favor of the Americans after Christian Pulisic’s goal in the 38th minute.
Japan
The Samurai Blue team succeeded in passing the qualifying round, and booked its ticket with three matches remaining in the group stage. Japan became the first nation to book their place in the qualifiers with a 2-0 win over Bahrain in Saitama, after Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo scored in the second half. They will compete in their eighth World Cup in a row. In Qatar, coach Hajime Moriyasu’s team reached the round of sixteen, but lost to Croatia on penalties.
Jordan
Ali Alwan’s hat-trick sparked jubilation in Jordan as the 2023 AFC Asian Cup runners-up qualified for their first World Cup finals on June 5 after beating Oman 3-0 in Muscat while South Korea beat Iraq 2-0. The photo was taken of the ruler of Jordan, King Abdullah II, wearing the national team shirt while watching the match from the Jordanian embassy in London, where he was visiting.
South Korea
Korea reached their 11th consecutive finals by defeating 10-man Iraq at Basra Stadium on June 5 in what is expected to be a win for Son Heung-min. The Tottenham great and Taeguk Warriors captain will turn 34 during the finals, and he said it will be his last tournament. Korea’s phenomenal qualifying record is bettered only by Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina and Spain, although their disappointing exit from the 2023 Asian Cup saw Jurgen Klinsmann replaced by Hong Myung-bo, who oversaw victories over Oman, Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait in the qualifiers.
Uzbekistan
Welcome to the White Wolves, who have finally reached the World Cup finals Some 2,800 miles from home after a drab 0-0 draw with the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi. The Uzbeks are finally starting to make their mark at senior international level, having reached the quarter-finals of the U-17 World Cup, the round of 16 of the U-20 World Championship, and the Paris Olympics. In Abdulkadir Khosanov, who made his (albeit shaky) debut for Manchester City aged just 20, and 22-year-old winger Abusbek Fayzulayev, Teymur Kabadze has two emerging talents at his disposal.
See the full AFC standings here.
Europe
54 countries (Russia is suspended) are competing for a place in next year’s finals. The winners of 12 groups qualify, while the remaining four places are secured through a qualifying system featuring the group runners-up and the winners of the Nations League groups.
See the full UEFA standings here.
North America, Central America and the Caribbean
There are three automatic slots for the winners of the three groups of four teams. The top two runners-up qualify for the continental qualifiers.
See the full CONCACAF standings here.
Oceania
One automatic place is secured. New CaledoniaThe French overseas region, which was not recognized by FIFA until 2004, will play in the continental qualifiers in March.
New Zealand
In a land where rugby union is a sporting religion, any success achieved by the All Whites is to be savored. New Zealand reached their first World Cup finals in 16 years by beating New Caledonia 3-0 at Eden Park in Auckland, home of their 15-man All Blacks cousins. But the victory did not come easily. Scoreless in the first half, Darren Bazeley’s side lost captain Chris Wood to a thigh injury early in the second half. Just an hour later, Michael Boxall ended the tie, scoring his first international goal at the age of 36. Costa Barbaros doubled New Zealand’s lead soon after, before Eli Gast rounded off the score in the 80th minute.
See the full OFC rankings here.
south america
All six live spots have been filled. Bolivia It secured qualification to the continental playoff after a surprise 1-0 victory over Brazil in El Alto.
Argentina
The defending champions earned their place on March 25 when Bolivia drew 0-0 with Uruguay. The big question hanging over Lionel Scaloni’s world champions is whether or not Lionel Messi will play in the finals. The Inter Miami striker has remained coy about his intentions. “Well, as I said before. I don’t think I will play in the next World Cup – not because of age, but the most logical thing is that I won’t,” Messi said after helping Argentina beat Venezuela 3-0 last month. The evergreen 38-year-old then backtracked a bit, adding: “It’s about taking things one day at a time, trying to feel good, and above all being true to myself. When I feel good, I enjoy it. When I don’t feel good, frankly, I struggle, and I’d rather not be there. So we’ll see.”
Ecuador
Don’t see Ecuador reached the finals – for the fifth time this century – on June 10, after a 0-0 draw with Peru in Lima was enough to secure their place with two matches remaining. Ecuador, which ranked second in the standings, defeated Argentina, which ranked first, 1-0 in Guayaquil, in a match that ended with the number of players for both teams reduced to 10 players with red cards. Argentine Nicolas Otamendi was sent off in the 31st minute and the home side took advantage of their numerical superiority when Ener Valencia scored a penalty kick in first-half stoppage time. Ecuador also played with ten men after Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo was sent off in the 50th minute.
Colombia
Colombia is a vital component of any finals, and after missing Qatar 2022, they returned after James Rodriguez led his team to a 3-0 win over Bolivia on September 4, sending Nestor Lorenzo’s team to the 2026 finals with one game to go. No tricolor The team reached the quarter-finals in 2014 and Luis Diaz boasts one of the best talents in the game. The winger scored 30 goals in his last two seasons for Liverpool, helping them win the Premier League, and has been in scintillating form since his summer move to Bayern Munich. Player to watch: Benfica’s record signing, Richard Reus. The 25-year-old has made an impressive start to life at Estádio da Luz following his move from Palmeiras.
Uruguay
Marcelo Bielsa, once the toast of Elland Road, was mentoring No Celeste His country qualified for its fifth World Cup final in a row with an impressive 3-0 win over Peru at Estadio Centenario on September 4. In a mixed season, Uruguay was able to beat Brazil in Montevideo and surprise Argentina in Buenos Aires. The 70-year-old former Leeds boss is set to participate in his third World Cup as head coach. In 2002, El LocoThe Argentine national team was eliminated in the group stage, but he led Chile to South Africa 2010, where they lost in the round of 16 to Brazil. Bielsa has talent at his disposal too. Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez may be gone, but it is Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde who has brought the fire. His club manager, Xabi Alonso, compared him to Steven Gerrard, saying: “Every manager wants Valverde in the team.”
Brazil
Carlo Ancelotti’s side extended Brazil’s record as the only team to play in every World Cup final by beating Paraguay 1-0 on June 10 to finish fifth in the standings, their lowest qualifying position. The five-time champions will make their 23rd appearance in next year’s tournament, but with limited preparation time following their arrival in May from Real Madrid, the Italian is relying on team spirit and individual talent. “I think more tactical work is needed to improve the game strategy,” Ancelotti says. “All of this can be very important, but the most important part is not the strategy, it is the behavior of the players on the field. For this reason, it does not take much time to prepare.”
Paraguay
For the first time since 2010, Paraguay will participate in the World Cup finals after a difficult 0-0 draw at home against Ecuador on September 4. Coach Gustavo Alfaro’s team impressed by repelling its rivals to seize the decisive point they needed. Miguel Almiron, who left Newcastle in January, and former Brighton midfielder Julio Enciso, who now plays for Strasbourg, are two players familiar to Premier League fans. Almiron was 16 in 2010, and the Atlanta United captain still remembers watching Paraguay’s first match – a 1-1 draw with Italy in Cape Town – with friends at his home in Asuncion’s San Pablo neighborhood. “It fills you with pride, to see your country in this huge competition,” Almiron said. “You always dream about it.”
See the full CONMEBOL standings here.