2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Tournament details
Dates	7 September 2023 – 31 March 2026
Teams	206 (from 6 confederations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played	392
Goals scored	1,067 (2.72 per match)
Attendance	6,765,822 (17,260 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Almoez Ali (12 goals)
← 2022 2030→ All statistics correct as of 19 November 2024.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification will decide the 45 teams that will join hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Qualification began on 7 September 2023 with three matches of the CONMEBOL zone played that day. ^[1] The first goal of the qualification series was scored by Colombian player Rafael Santos Borré.

Slot allocation

On 30 March 2017, the Bureau of the FIFA Council (composed of the FIFA president and the presidents of each of the six confederations) proposed a slot allocation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The recommendation was submitted for the ratification by the FIFA Council. ^{[2] [3]}

On 9 May 2017, two days before the 67th FIFA Congress, the FIFA Council approved the slot allocation in a meeting in Manama, Bahrain. This includes an intercontinental play-off tournament involving six teams to decide the last two FIFA World Cup spots. ^[4]

The ratification of slot allocation also gives the OFC a guaranteed berth in the final tournament for the first time in FIFA World Cup history: the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first tournament in which all six confederations have at least one guaranteed berth.

Qualified teams

  Teams qualified

  Teams whose qualification status has yet to be decided

  Teams failed to qualify

  Teams withdrew or suspended

  Not a FIFA member

Team	Method of qualification	Date of qualification	Finals appearance	First time qualified	Last time qualified	Current consecutive appearances [note 1]	Previous best performance
Canada	Hosts	14 February 2023 [note 2]	3rd	1986	2022	2	Group stage (1986, 2022)
Mexico	Hosts	14 February 2023 [note 2]	18th	1930	2022	9	Quarter-finals (1970, 1986)
United States	Hosts	14 February 2023 [note 2]	12th	1930	2022	2	Third place (1930)

Notes

1. Including the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
2. Although the United bid was selected on 13 June 2018, the automatic berths allocated to the hosts were not confirmed until a decision by the FIFA Council on 14 February 2023. ^[5]

Qualification process

On 9 May 2017, the FIFA Council approved the slot allocation scheme for the new 48-team final format. ^[4]

Summary of qualification

Confederation	Direct slots	Play-off slots	Teams started	Teams eliminated	Teams can still qualify	Teams qualified	Qualifying start date	Qualifying next match date	Qualifying end date
AFC	8	1	46	28	18	0	12 October 2023	20 March 2025	18 November 2025
CAF	9	1	53	0	53	0	15 November 2023	March 2025	November 2025
CONCACAF	3+3 (hosts)	2	32+3 (hosts)	2	30	0+3	22 March 2024	4 June 2025	November 2025
CONMEBOL	6	1	10	0	10	0	7 September 2023	March 2025	September 2025
OFC	1	1	11	7	4	0	6 September 2024	21 March 2025	24 March 2025
UEFA	16	0	54	0	54	0	21 March 2025	21 March 2025	31 March 2026
Play-offs	2	—	(6)	0	(6)	0	March 2026	March 2026	March 2026
Total	45+3 (hosts)	6	206+3 (hosts)	37	169	0+3	7 September 2023	20 March 2025	31 March 2026

Suspensions and withdrawals

Russia were suspended indefinitely on 28 February 2022 from participating in UEFA and FIFA competitions due to their country's invasion of Ukraine. ^[6] A circular distributed by UEFA on 11 November 2024 stated 192 group stage matches would take place, confirming Russia's exclusion from the tournament. ^[7]

Eritrea withdrew from qualification prior to playing any matches. ^{[8] [9]}

Format

Each confederation is responsible for its own qualification tournament, which will consist of at least one round of competition using the following formats (Regulations Article 11.3): ^[10]

• A double round-robin (or "league") format in which each team in a group plays all other teams in their group twice – once at home and once away.
• A single round-robin format in which each team in a group plays all other teams in their group once, with the venues either drawn at random or assigned by the confederation with the agreement of the playing associations.
• A knockout format in which each team in a round plays one other team over two legs – once at home and once away.
• With FIFA's permission, a tournament held in one of the participating nations or in neutral territory.
• With FIFA's permission, a single-leg knockout format.

Tiebreakers

In the round-robin and tournament formats, the tiebreaker criteria are as follows (Regulations Article 11.5): ^[10]

1. Greatest number of points obtained in all group matches (3 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss)
2. Greatest goal differential in all group matches
3. Most goals scored in all group matches

Should two or more teams still have equal rank after criteria 1–3 are applied, then the following criteria are used:

4. Greatest number of points obtained in all matches amongst the concerned teams
5. Greatest goal differential in all matches amongst the concerned teams
6. Most goals scored in all matches amongst the concerned teams
7. Most goals scored away from home in all matches amongst the concerned teams
8. The best team conduct score using the following table:
   1. First yellow card: –1 point
   2. Second yellow card/indirect red card: –3 points
   3. Direct red card: –4 points
   4. Yellow card and direct red card: –5 points
   Only one score will be applied to any player or team official in any match, e.g. a player who receives a second yellow card will only have –3 points applied and not –4 (–1 for the first and –3 for the second).
9. Drawing of lots by FIFA

If the tournament is being held in a single host nation or in neutral territory, then criterion 7 will not be applied (Regulations Article 11.6). ^[10]

In the home-and-away knockout format, the team scoring more goals on aggregate wins the tie and advances. If the aggregate score is level, then 30 minutes of extra time will be played. If the score is still level at the end of extra time, the away goals rule will not be applied and the winners will be decided by a penalty shoot-out (Regulations Article 11.9). ^[10] In the single-leg knockout format, the team scoring more goals in a single match wins and advances. If the teams are tied after regulation, then extra time will be played, followed by a penalty shoot-out if the score is still level (Regulations Article 11.10). ^[10]

Confederation qualification

AFC

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)

On 1 August 2022, the Asian Football Confederation Executive Committee approved the qualification format for Asia's road to the 2026 World Cup, as well as the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, in preparation for the eight direct spots and the single intercontinental play-off slot allocated to the AFC by FIFA following the expansion of the FIFA World Cup to 48 teams. ^[11] The draw for the first round was held on 27 July 2023 at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ^[12] The draw for the second round took place two hours later.

The qualification structure is as follows:

• First round: Twenty teams (ranked 27–46) played home-and-away over two legs. ^[13] The ten winners advanced to the second round.
• Second round: Thirty-six teams (those ranked 1–26 and the ten first-round winners) were divided into nine groups of four teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The eighteen group winners and group runners-up advanced to the third round.
• Third round: The eighteen teams that advanced from the second round were divided into three groups of six teams to play home-and-awayround-robin matches. The top two teams of each group will qualify for the World Cup, while the third-placed and fourth-placed teams of each group will advance to the fourth round.
• Fourth round: The six teams that advance from the third round will be divided into two groups of three teams each to play a single round-robin. The winners will qualify for the World Cup.
• Fifth round: The fourth round group runners-up will compete in a two-legged play-off tie to determine the Asian representation at the inter-confederationplay-offs.

Sri Lanka were suspended in January 2023 ^[14] and they did not appear in the draw information the AFC released in early July. ^[15] However, they were re-added with the condition that their federation hold elections at least ten days before qualification starts. ^[16]

Current stage (third round)

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC third round

Group A Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Iran (X) 6 16 2   Uzbekistan 6 13 3   United Arab Emirates 6 10 4   Qatar 6 7 5   Kyrgyzstan 6 3 6   North Korea 6 2 Updated to match(es) played on 19 November 2024. Source: AFC (X) Assured of advancing to the fourth round; can still qualify directly

Group B Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   South Korea 6 14 2   Iraq 6 11 3   Jordan 6 9 4   Oman 6 6 5   Kuwait 6 4 6   Palestine 6 3 Updated to match(es) played on 19 November 2024. Source: AFC

Group C Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Japan (X) 6 16 2   Australia 6 7 3   Indonesia 6 6 4   Saudi Arabia 6 6 5   Bahrain 6 6 6   China 6 6 Updated to match(es) played on 19 November 2024. Source: AFC (X) Assured of advancing to the fourth round; can still qualify directly

CAF

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)

The CAF Executive Committee announced a new African qualification format on 19 May 2023. ^{[17] [18]}

The draw was held on 13 July 2023 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. ^{[19] [20]} All 54 FIFA-affiliated football associations from CAF entered qualification. However, Eritrea withdrew before matches began. ^[21]

The qualification structure is as follows:

• First round: Teams were drawn into nine groups of six teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The winner of each group will qualify for the World Cup.
• Second round: The four best-ranked group runners-up will participate in a play-off to determine which team will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.

Current stage (first round)

Group A Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Egypt 4 10 2   Guinea-Bissau 4 6 3   Burkina Faso 4 5 4   Sierra Leone 4 5 5   Ethiopia 4 3 6   Djibouti 4 1 Updated to match(es) played on 10 June 2024. Source: FIFA	Group B Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Sudan 4 10 2   Senegal 4 8 3   DR Congo 4 7 4   Togo 4 3 5   South Sudan 4 2 6   Mauritania 4 1 Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA	Group C Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Rwanda 4 7 2   South Africa 4 7 3   Benin 4 7 4   Lesotho 4 5 5   Nigeria 4 3 6   Zimbabwe 4 2 Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA
Group D Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Cameroon 4 8 2   Libya 4 7 3   Cape Verde 4 7 4   Angola 4 6 5   Mauritius 4 4 6   Eswatini 4 0 Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA	Group E Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Morocco 3 9 2   Niger 3 6 3   Tanzania 3 6 4   Zambia 4 3 5   Congo 3 0 6   Eritrea 0 0 Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA	Group F Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Ivory Coast 4 10 2   Gabon 4 9 3   Burundi 4 7 4   Kenya 4 5 5   Gambia 4 3 6   Seychelles 4 0 Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA
Group G Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Algeria 4 9 2   Mozambique 4 9 3   Botswana 4 6 4   Guinea 4 6 5   Uganda 4 6 6   Somalia 4 0 Updated to match(es) played on 10 June 2024. Source: FIFA	Group H Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Tunisia 4 10 2   Namibia 4 8 3   Liberia 4 7 4   Malawi 4 6 5   Equatorial Guinea 4 3 6   São Tomé and Príncipe 4 0 Updated to match(es) played on 10 June 2024. Source: FIFA	Group I Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Comoros 4 9 2   Ghana 4 9 3   Madagascar 4 7 4   Mali 4 5 5   Central African Republic 4 4 6   Chad 4 0 Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA

Ranking of runners-up Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Gabon 4 9 2   Ghana 4 9 3   Mozambique 4 9 4   Namibia 4 8 5   Senegal 4 8 6   South Africa 4 7 7   Libya 4 7 8   Niger 3 6 9   Guinea-Bissau 4 6 Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA

CONCACAF

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)

Three nations in CONCACAF—Canada, Mexico and the United States—automatically qualified as host nations. On 28 February 2023, CONCACAF announced the qualifying format for 2026 World Cup qualification. ^[22]

• First round: Four CONCACAF teams, ranked 29 to 32 based on the FIFA ranking of December 2023, were divided into two matchups to be played on a two-legged home-and-away basis. The two winners advanced 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 ranking of December 2023 – were 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 advancing to 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-rankedrunners-up will advance to the inter-confederationplay-offs.

Current stage (second round)

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF second round

Group A Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Honduras 2 6 2   Cuba 2 3 3   Cayman Islands 2 3 4   Antigua and Barbuda 2 1 5   Bermuda 2 1 Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA	Group B Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Costa Rica 2 6 2   Trinidad and Tobago 2 4 3   Saint Kitts and Nevis 2 3 4   Grenada 2 1 5   Bahamas 2 0 Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA	Group C Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Curaçao 2 6 2   Haiti 2 6 3   Saint Lucia 2 1 4   Aruba 2 1 5   Barbados 2 0 Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA
Group D Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Nicaragua 2 6 2   Panama 2 6 3   Guyana 2 3 4   Montserrat 2 0 5   Belize 2 0 Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA	Group E Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Guatemala 2 6 2   Jamaica 2 6 3   Dominican Republic 2 3 4   Dominica 2 0 5   British Virgin Islands 2 0 Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA	Group F Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Suriname 2 6 2   Puerto Rico 2 4 3   El Salvador 2 4 4   Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2 0 5   Anguilla 2 0 Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA

CONMEBOL

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)

On 22 August 2022, CONMEBOL petitioned FIFA to keep the qualification format which had been used since the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification, where all CONMEBOL members play home-and-away round-robin matches against each other. ^{[23] [24] [25] [26]} This was approved, with the first games of the qualifiers played in September 2023. ^[27]

Before the qualification competition began, Ecuador were deducted 3 points for falsifying birth documents for Byron Castillo in the previous World Cup qualification cycle. ^[28]

Current stage

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	Pts
1	Argentina	12	25
2	Uruguay	12	20
3	Ecuador	12	19
4	Colombia	12	19
5	Brazil	12	18
6	Paraguay	12	17
7	Bolivia	12	13
8	Venezuela	12	12
9	Chile	12	9
10	Peru	12	7

Updated to match(es) played on 19 November 2024.
Source: FIFA

OFC

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)

2026 marks the first time OFC will be granted one guaranteed slot in the World Cup, as well as a possible second slot via the inter-confederation play-offs.

The qualification structure is as follows: ^[29]

• First round: The four lowest-ranked teams played a three-match knockout round in September 2024. The winner, Samoa, advanced to the second round.
• Second round: The winning team from the first round joined the seven highest-ranked teams in two four-team groups in October and November 2024. The top two teams from each group advanced to the third round.
• Third round: The four teams advancing from the second round will play a three-match knockout round in March 2025 with the winner qualifying for the World Cup and the runner-up going to the inter-confederationplay-offs.

Current stage (third round)

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC) § Third round

	Semi-finals				Final
	21 March 2025 – Wellington
	New Caledonia
					24 March 2025 – Auckland
	Tahiti
					Winner Semi-final 1
	21 March 2025 – Wellington
					Winner Semi-final 2
	New Zealand
	Fiji

UEFA

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)

The UEFA Executive Committee announced a new European qualification format on 25 January 2023. Teams will be drawn into twelve groups of four or five teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches from March to November 2025. The group winners will qualify for the World Cup, while the runners-up will participate in play-off matches. ^[30] 16 teams in total qualify for the world cup finals.

The qualification draw took place on 13 December 2024 in Zürich, Switzerland. ^[31] Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia's national team is currently suspended, and their exclusion was confirmed in a circular distributed by UEFA on 11 November 2024. ^[32]

• First round (group stage): Twelve groups of either four or five teams will be drawn, with group winners qualifying for the World Cup finals.
• Second round (play-off): 16 teams (twelve group runners-up and four best Nations League group winners, based on the Nations League overall ranking, that finished outside the top two of their qualifying group) will be drawn into four play-off paths, playing two rounds of single-matchplay-offs (semi-finals with the seeded teams to host, followed by finals, with the home teams to be drawn). The four path winners will qualify for the World Cup finals. ^[33]

Current stage (first round)

Group A	Group B	Group C
Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1 Winner QF4 (Germany v Italy) 0 0 2   Slovakia 0 0 3   Northern Ireland 0 0 4   Luxembourg 0 0 First match(es) will be played: 4 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA	Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1    Switzerland 0 0 2   Sweden 0 0 3   Slovenia 0 0 4   Kosovo 0 0 First match(es) will be played: 5 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA	Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1 Loser QF3 (Portugal v Denmark) 0 0 2   Greece 0 0 3   Scotland 0 0 4   Belarus 0 0 First match(es) will be played: 5 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA
Group D	Group E	Group F
Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1 Winner QF2 (France v Croatia) 0 0 2   Ukraine 0 0 3   Iceland 0 0 4   Azerbaijan 0 0 First match(es) will be played: 5 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA	Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1 Winner QF1 (Spain v Netherlands) 0 0 2   Turkey 0 0 3   Georgia 0 0 4   Bulgaria 0 0 First match(es) will be played: 4 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA	Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1 Winner QF3 (Portugal v Denmark) 0 0 2   Hungary 0 0 3   Republic of Ireland 0 0 4   Armenia 0 0 First match(es) will be played: 6 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA
Group G	Group H	Group I
Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1 Loser QF1 (Spain v Netherlands) 0 0 2   Poland 0 0 3   Finland 0 0 4   Lithuania 0 0 5   Malta 0 0 First match(es) will be played: 21 March 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA	Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Austria 0 0 2   Romania 0 0 3   Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 0 4   Cyprus 0 0 5   San Marino 0 0 First match(es) will be played: 21 March 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA	Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1 Loser QF4 (Germany v Italy) 0 0 2   Norway 0 0 3   Israel 0 0 4   Estonia 0 0 5   Moldova 0 0 First match(es) will be played: 22 March 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA
Group J	Group K	Group L
Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Belgium 0 0 2   Wales 0 0 3   North Macedonia 0 0 4   Kazakhstan 0 0 5   Liechtenstein 0 0 First match(es) will be played: 22 March 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA	Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   England 0 0 2   Serbia 0 0 3   Albania 0 0 4   Latvia 0 0 5   Andorra 0 0 First match(es) will be played: 21 March 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA	Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1 Loser QF2 (France v Croatia) 0 0 2   Czech Republic 0 0 3   Montenegro 0 0 4   Faroe Islands 0 0 5   Gibraltar 0 0 First match(es) will be played: 22 March 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA

Inter-confederation play-offs

A play-off tournament involving six teams will be held to decide the last two FIFA World Cup berths: ^[2] these consist of one team per confederation, except for UEFA, and one additional team from the confederation of the host countries (CONCACAF).

Two of the teams will be seeded based on the World Rankings, and these seeded teams will play for a FIFA World Cup berth against the winners of the first two knockout games involving the four unseeded teams.

The four-game tournament is to be played in one or more of the host countries and to be used as a test event for the FIFA World Cup.

Top goalscorers

There have been 1,067 goals scored in 392 matches, for an average of 2.72 goals per match (as of 19 November 2024). Players highlighted in bold are still active in the competition.

12 goals

• Almoez Ali

10 goals

• Son Heung-min

8 goals

• Ayase Ueda
• Yazan Al-Naimat

7 goals

• Sardar Azmoun
• Mehdi Taremi
• Aymen Hussein
• Fábio Lima

6 goals

• Lionel Messi
• Kusini Yengi
• Kōki Ogawa
• Musa Al-Taamari
• Ali Olwan
• Joel Kojo
• Chris Wood

Below are goalscorer lists for all confederations and the inter-confederation play-offs:

• AFC
• CAF
• CONCACAF
• CONMEBOL
• OFC

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