2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification determines which teams will join Canada, Mexico, and the United States as teams in the tournament. It started on September 7, 2023, with three matches in the CONMEBOL zone.

 Qualified countries 
TeamMethod ofqualificationDate ofqualificationTotaltimesqualifiedLasttimequalifiedCurrentconsecutiveappearancesPrevious bestperformance  Hosts  14 February 2023  3  2022  2  Group stage (1986, 2022)  Hosts  14 February 2023  18  2022  9  Quarter-finals (1970, 1986)  Hosts    12  2022  2  Third place (1930)  AFC third round Group C winners  20 March 2025  8  2022  8  Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022)  OFC third round winners  24 March 2025  3  2010  1  Group stage (1982, 2010)  AFC third round Group A winners  25 March 2025  7  2022  4    CONMEBOL winners  25 March 2025  19  2022  14  Winners (1978, 1986, 2022)    5 June 2025  1  —  1  —  AFC third round Group B winners  5 June 2025  12  2022  11  Fourth place (2002)    5 June 2025  1  —  1  —    10 June 2025  7  2022  6  Round of 16 (2006, 2022)  CONMEBOL fifth place  10 June 2025  23  2022  23  Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)  CONMEBOL runners-up  10 June 2025  5  2022  2  Round of 16 (2006)  CONMEBOL fourth place  4 September 2025  15  2022  5  Winners (1930, 1950)  CONMEBOL third place  4 September 2025  7  2018  1  Quarter-finals (2014)  CONMEBOL sixth place  4 September 2025  9  2010  1  Quarter-finals (2010)  CAF first round Group E winners  5 September 2025  7  2022  3  Fourth place (2022)  CAF first round Group H winners  8 September 2025  7  2022  3  Group stage (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022)  CAF first round Group A winners  8 October 2025  4  2018  1  First round (1934), group stage (1990, 2018)  CAF first round Group G winners  9 October 2025  5  2014  1  Round of 16 (2014)  CAF first round Group I winners  12 October 2025  5  2022  2  Quarter-finals (2010)  CAF first round Group D winners  13 October 2025  1  —  1  —  CAF first round Group C winners  14 October 2025  4  2010  1  Group stage (1998, 2002, 2010)  AFC fourth round Group A winners  14 October 2025  2  2022  2  Group stage (2022)  UEFA Group K winners  14 October 2025  17  2022  8  Winners (1966)  AFC fourth round Group B winners  14 October 2025  7  2022  3  Round of 16 (1994)  CAF first round Group F winners  14 October 2025  4  2014  1  Group stage (2006, 2010, 2014)  CAF first round Group B winners  14 October 2025  4  2022  3  Quarter-finals (2002)  UEFA Group D winners  13 November 2025  17  2022  8  Winners (1998, 2018)  UEFA Group L winners  14 November 2025  7  2022  4  Runners-up (2018)  UEFA Group F winners  16 November 2025  9  2022  7  Third place (1966)  UEFA Group I winners  16 November 2025  4  1998  1  First round (1938), round of 16 (1998)
Notes

 Qualification process 
On 9 May 2017, the FIFA Council approved the slot allocation scheme for the new 48-team final format.

 Summary of qualification 
350x350pxConfederationDirect slots slotsTeams startedTeams eliminatedTeams qualifiedQualifying start dateQualifying next match dateQualifying end dateAFC814628012 October 202320 March 202518 November 2025CAF91530015 November 2023March 2025November 2025CONCACAF3+3232+320+322 March 20244 June 2025November 2025CONMEBOL6110007 September 202320 March 2025September 2025OFC1111706 September 202421 March 202524 March 2025UEFA160540021 March 202521 March 202531 March 2026Play-offs2  (6)00March 2026March 2026March 2026Total45+36206+3370+37 September 202320 March 202531 March 2026

 Top goalscorers 

 Notes 

 References 

FIFA World Cup qualification