The road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is well underway, with 15 nations having already secured their places in the expanded tournament. Tunisia and Morocco have made history by becoming among the first two African nations to clinch their berths in the much-anticipated global spectacle. This edition of the World Cup is set to be a landmark event, expanding for the first time to include 48 participating nations, and will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
As the qualification campaigns progress across various continents, the current tally stands at 15 confirmed teams. The host nations, the United States, Canada, and Mexico, automatically qualify, occupying three of the coveted spots.
From the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which has an allocation of 8.5 qualification spots, six teams have already secured their places. These include regional powerhouses such as Japan, Iran, Australia, and Jordan, explicitly mentioned among the qualifiers.
The South American qualification zone (CONMEBOL), boasting 6.5 slots, has seen six teams emerge victorious so far. Among these confirmed qualifiers are continental giants like Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Colombia.
From the African continent (CAF), which holds 9.5 qualification spots, Tunisia and Morocco have secured two of the early berths, showcasing their dominance in the initial stages of their respective qualification groups.
Oceania’s single qualification spot (1.5 total) has been claimed by New Zealand, who secured their place through their confederation’s pathway.
For the CONCACAF region (North, Central America, and Caribbean), beyond the three host nations, a further 3.5 spots are available. However, no additional teams from CONCACAF have yet qualified, as their regional qualifiers continue to unfold.
Similarly, in Europe (UEFA), which has the largest allocation of 16 spots, no team has yet officially qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup through the ongoing group stages and upcoming playoff matches. The competitive nature of European qualification means teams are still fiercely battling for their chance to compete on the world stage.
As of the latest updates in September, a total of 15 teams have been confirmed. The remaining 30 spots are still fiercely contested, with teams from across all confederations continuing their campaigns through continental stages and inter-confederation playoffs.
