- World Cup 2026 host nations Canada, Mexico and the U.S. qualified automatically.
- England is the only UEFA nation that has secured its spot for the 2026 World Cup.
- Erling Haaland can help Norway clinch its first World Cup appearance since 1998.
Qualification for the 2026 World Cup is hitting a critical juncture.
Of the tournament’s 48 qualifying spots, 28 already have been claimed. A few more can be secured as World Cup qualifiers take place during FIFA’s November international window.
The attention during the November qualification slate leans heavy toward Europe, where as many as eight nations can join the World Cup field this week. England is the only squad that has claimed one of UEFA’s 16 allotted World Cup spots.
In addition to the three spots given to the World Cup hosts — Canada, Mexico and the United States — Concacaf has three additional spots (and a possibility for a fourth) up for grabs. Two of those spots can be secured during the November qualifying window.
Here’s what to know about where qualifying stands for the 2026 World Cup, including which nations could secure berths next:
Who has qualified for World Cup 2026?
The 2026 World Cup will include 48 teams, a huge jump up from the 32 that participated in Qatar 2022. As November’s qualifiers play out, 28 nations have qualified.
Here is a complete list of every country to qualify for the 2026 World Cup entering November’s qualifying window:
- Host nations: Canada, Mexico, United States
- Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
- Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
- Concacaf: None yet
- Europe: England
- Oceania: New Zealand
- South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
World Cup qualifying: Who could clinch a 2026 spot next?
Qualification is nearing its conclusion (the World Cup draw is Dec. 5, after all). Each confederation’s schedule and process mean each continent wraps up at different points – for example, spots in Africa, Asia and South America already have been claimed.
- Austria: Austria — which hasn’t qualified for a World Cup since 1998 — can end that drought on Nov. 15. Austria needs to win against Cyprus, and hope Bosnia and Herzegovina don’t win against Romania.
- Belgium: The Red Devils can qualify for their fourth consecutive World Cup with a win in Kazakhstan on Nov. 15.
- France: The 2022 World Cup runners-up can earn its place in the 2026 tournament with win over the Ukraine at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Nov. 13.
- Honduras: Honduras has only qualified for three previous World Cups, most recently in 2014. They can reach the 2026 tournament with a win over Nicaragua on Nov. 13 and if Costa Rica and Haiti play to a draw.
- Jamaica: The Reggae Boyz haven’t qualified for a World Cup since 1998, but can make the upcoming competition with a win over Trinidad and Tobago on Nov. 13 and if Bermuda defeats Curaçao.
- Netherlands: The Oranje — which knocked the USMNT out of the 2022 World Cup during the Round of 16 — can qualify for the 2026 tournament with a win over Poland in Warsaw on Nov. 14. The Netherlands has endured a roller-coaster World Cup experience. The Oranje failed to qualify for the 2002 and 2018 tournaments. In between, however, the Netherlands were runners-up in 2010 and the third-place finisher in 2014.
- Norway: It appears one of the game’s biggest stars — Erling Haaland — finally will play in his first World Cup. Norway hasn’t qualified for a World Cup since 1998, but can make it to soccer’s biggest stage with a win or draw against Estonia in Oslo on Nov. 13. If Norway draws with Estonia, however, it needs Moldova to defeat Italy.
- Portugal: Portugal is on the precipice of getting Cristiano Ronaldo to a record sixth World Cup. With a win over Ireland in Dublin on Nov. 13, Portugal qualifies. If Portugal draws against Ireland, then it needs Armenia to get a result against Hungary.
- Spain: Spain can qualify for its 13th consecutive World Cup on Nov. 15 if they win away at Georgia and if Türkiye fails to defeat Bulgaria. The reigning European champions haven’t gotten past the Round of 16 in the previous two World Cups.
- Switzerland: The Swiss can reach their sixth consecutive World Cup with a win or draw against Sweden in Geneva on Nov. 15, plus some assistance from Slovenia. With a win over Sweden, Switzerland qualifies if Kosovo does not win against Slovenia. If Switzerland draws against Sweden, then Kosovo must lose to Slovenia.
World Cup qualifiers: How many spots for each region?
Here is a complete breakdown of how FIFA divided all 48 berths at the 2026 World Cup:
- Host nations (3): Canada, Mexico and the United States all qualified as soon as they were picked to host the tournament.
- Asia (8): Eight Asian countries have qualified. The Asian Football Confederation will place one team in the intercontinental playoff, with Iraq and the United Arab Emirates facing off for that last-chance ticket in a two-legged tie on Nov. 13 and Nov. 18.
- Africa (9): African qualifying sorted 54 countries into nine groups of six (though Eritrea withdrew from Group E before play began). The nine group winners have qualified, while the four best runners-up — Cameroon, DR Congo, Gabon, and Nigeria — convene for a dramatic playoff in Morocco in November. Gabon faces Nigeria and Cameroon plays DR Congo on Nov. 13. The winners of those games play on Nov. 16 for a spot in the the intercontinental playoff.
- Concacaf (3): The region’s third round — featuring three groups of four — began play on Thursday, Sept. 4. Group winners qualify directly, while the two best runners-up will enter the intercontinental playoff.
- Europe (16): UEFA qualifying features 54 teams broken up into 12 groups. Group winners qualify for the World Cup, while the second-place finishers (along with the top four teams from the UEFA Nations League who didn’t win their qualifying groups) will enter a playoff for Europe’s final four berths that is set for March 2026.
- Oceania (1): New Zealand has already claimed Oceania’s only guaranteed berth at the 2026 World Cup, while New Caledonia is headed to the intercontinental playoff.
- South America (6): CONMEBOL’s marathon qualifying tournament has concluded, with six teams getting places at the World Cup. A seventh (Bolivia) claimed the region’s spot in the intercontinental playoff.
- Intercontinental playoff (2): New Caledonia and Bolivia have locked in spots in what will be a six-team tournament scheduled for March 2026. The tournament will be held in Mexico.