Thirty Teams Secure Spot For 2026 FIFA World Cup As Race For Final Places Intensifies

A total of 30 nations have officially booked their tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with England, France, and Croatia becoming the first European sides to secure qualification after topping their respective groups.

With the expanded tournament edging closer, only 18 places are still up for grabs. Europe will contribute the bulk of those remaining slots, with 13 teams guaranteed direct qualification. Three more places are allocated to North America, while the last two will be determined through intercontinental playoffs.

Teams Already Qualified:

Hosts: Canada, Mexico, United States

Asia (AFC): Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan

Africa (CAF): Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia

South America (CONMEBOL): Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay

Oceania (OFC): New Zealand

Europe (UEFA): England, France, Croatia

Play-off entrants so far:

Bolivia, New Caledonia (2 of 6 places confirmed)

Breakdown of Qualification Spots:

AFC: 8 + 1 play-off place

CAF: 9 + 1 play-off place

Concacaf: 6 + 2 play-off places

CONMEBOL: 6 + 1 play-off place

OFC: 1 + 1 play-off place

UEFA: 16 direct qualifiers

The countdown continues as teams around the world battle for the final tickets to football’s biggest stage.