2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (Thmmht94)

== 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification ==
The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification will be the qualifying process which will decide the teams that will join hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
=== Qualified countries ===
Team 	Method of qualification	Finals appearance	Last time qualified	Current consecutive appearances	Previous best performance
Canada 	Hosts 	3rd 	2022 	2 	Group stage (1986, 2022)
Mexico 	Hosts 	18th 	2022 	9 	Quarter-finals (1970, 1986)
United States	Hosts 	12th 	2022 	2 	Third place (1930)
=== Qualification process ===
Confederation	Direct slots	Play-off slots	Teams started	Teams eliminated	Teams qualified
AFC 	8 	1 	46+1 	0+1 	0
CAF 	9 	1 	54 	0 	0
CONCACAF 	3+3 	2 	32+3 	0 	0+3
CONMEBOL 	6 	1 	10 	0 	0
OFC 	1 	1 	11+1 	0 	0
UEFA 	16 	- 	55 	0 	0
Play-offs 	2 	- 	(6) 	0 	0
Total 	45+3 	6 	208+1+3+1 	0+1 	0+3
== Confederation qualification ==
==== AFC ====
* First round: Twenty-two teams (ranked 26–47) will play home-and-away over two legs. The eleven winners advance to the second round.
* Second round: Thirty-six teams (those ranked 1–25 and the eleven first-round winners) are divided into nine groups of four teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The eighteen group winners and group runners-up advance to the third round.
* Third round: The eighteen teams that advance from the second round are divided into three groups of six teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The top two teams of each group qualify for the World Cup, while the third-placed and fourth-placed teams of each group advance to the fourth round.
* Fourth round: The six teams that advance from the third round are divided into two groups of three teams each to play a single round-robin. The winners qualify for the World Cup.
* Fifth round: The group runners-up in the previous round will compete in a play-off tie to determine the Asian representation at the inter-confederation play-offs.
Team 1 	Agg.	Team 2 	1st leg 	2nd leg
Myanmar 	6-0 	Sri Lanka 	3-0 (awd.)	3-0 (awd.)
Maldives 	2-4 	Laos 	0-2 	2-2
Nepal 	0-1 	Macau 	0-0 	0-1
Cambodia 	2-3 	Bhutan 	2-0 	0-3
Singapore 	7-2 	Timor-Leste 	3-1 	4-1
Indonesia 	5-1 	Bangladesh 	4-1 	1-0
Afghanistan 	3-4 	Brunei 	1-1 	2-3
Chinese Taipei	1-2 	Mongolia 	1-0 	0-2
Hong Kong 	5-1 	Pakistan 	2-0 	3-1
Kuwait 	8-4 	Guam 	4-2 	4-2
Yemen 	10-1	Northern Mariana Islands	8-1 	2-0
==== CAF ====
* Group stage: Nine groups of six teams will play in a home-and-away round-robin matches. Group winners will qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
* Play-off stage: The four best group runners-up will be drawn into play-offs to determine the CAF representative at the inter-confederation play-offs.
==== CONCACAF ====
* First round: Four CONCACAF teams, ranked 29 to 32 based on the FIFA rankings, will be divided into two matchups, played on a two-legged home-and-away basis. The two winners will advance to the second round.
* Second round: Thirty teams, the two winners from the first round and CONCACAF teams ranked 1 to 28 based on the FIFA rankings of November 2023, will be drawn into six groups of five teams. They will play single round-robin matches (two home and two away), with group winners and runners-up qualifying for the third round.
* Third round: The twelve teams advancing from the second round will be drawn into three groups of four teams. They will play double round-robin home-and-away matches, with the three group winners qualifying for the World Cup. The two best-ranked runners-up will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.
==== CONMEBOL ====
* The qualification structure will remain the same as in previous editions, despite the increase of slots from 4.5 to 6.5 for CONMEBOL teams. The ten teams play in a league of home-and-away round-robin format, with the match schedule being the same as that used in the previous edition.
==== OFC ====
* First round: The 5 lowest-ranked teams based on the FIFA Rankings, will play in a single group to play single round-robin matches in the host country. The group winner advances to the second round.
* Second round: 8 teams are divided into 2 groups of 4 to play single round-robin matches in the host countries. The 4 group winners and runners-up advance to the third round.
* Third round (knockout stage): The 4 teams will play a single leg knockout stage. The final winner will qualify for the World Cup, while second place will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.
==== UEFA ====
* First round (group stage): Twelve groups of either four or five teams with group winners qualifying for the World Cup finals.
* Second round (play-offs): 16 teams (12 group runners-up and the best 4 Nations League group winners), were drawn into 4 play-off paths, playing 2 rounds of single-match play-offs, with the 4 path winners qualifying for the World Cup.
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