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	701
Goals scored	1,933 (2.76 per match)
Attendance	12,020,663 (17,148 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Almoez Ali (12 goals)
← 2022 2030 → All statistics correct as of 9 September 2025.

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 against Venezuela. ^{[2] [3]}

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. ^{[4] [5]}

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. ^[6]

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; as such, 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	Total times qualified	Last time qualified	Current consecutive appearances	Previous best performance
Canada	Hosts	14 February 2023 [a]	3	2022	2	Group stage (1986, 2022)
Mexico	Hosts	14 February 2023 [a]	18	2022	9	Quarter-finals (1970, 1986)
United States	Hosts	14 February 2023 [a]	12	2022	2	Third place (1930)
Japan	AFC third round Group C winners	20 March 2025	8	2022	8	Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022)
New Zealand	OFC third round winners	24 March 2025	3	2010	1	Group stage (1982, 2010)
Iran	AFC third round Group A winners	25 March 2025	7	2022	4	Group stage (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022)
Argentina	CONMEBOL winners	25 March 2025	19	2022	14	Winners (1978, 1986, 2022)
Uzbekistan	AFC third round Group A runners-up	5 June 2025	1	—	1	—
South Korea	AFC third round Group B winners	5 June 2025	12	2022	11	Fourth place (2002)
Jordan	AFC third round Group B runners-up	5 June 2025	1	—	1	—
Australia	AFC third round Group C runners-up	10 June 2025	7	2022	6	Round of 16 (2006, 2022)
Brazil	CONMEBOL fifth place	10 June 2025	23	2022	23	Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
Ecuador	CONMEBOL runners-up	10 June 2025	5	2022	2	Round of 16 (2006)
Uruguay	CONMEBOL fourth place	4 September 2025	15	2022	5	Winners (1930, 1950)
Colombia	CONMEBOL third place	4 September 2025	7	2018	1	Quarter-finals (2014)
Paraguay	CONMEBOL sixth place	4 September 2025	9	2010	1	Quarter-finals (2010)
Morocco	CAF first round Group E winners	5 September 2025	7	2022	3	Fourth place (2022)
Tunisia	CAF first round Group H winners	8 September 2025	7	2022	3	Group stage (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022)

Notes

1. 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. ^[7]

Qualification process

On 9 May 2017, the FIFA Council approved the slot allocation scheme for the new 48-team final format. ^[6]

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	34	6	6	12 October 2023	8 October 2025	18 November 2025
CAF	9	1	53	18	33	2	15 November 2023	October 2025	November 2025
CONCACAF	3+3 (hosts)	2	32+3 (hosts)	20	12	0+3	22 March 2024	9 October 2025	18 November 2025
CONMEBOL	6	1	10	3	1	6	7 September 2023	—	9 September 2025
OFC	1	1	11	9	1	1	6 September 2024	—	24 March 2025
UEFA	16	0	54	2	52	0	21 March 2025	9 October 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)	86	105	15+3	7 September 2023	October 2025	31 March 2026

Suspensions and withdrawals

Russia were suspended indefinitely on 28 February 2022 from participating in UEFA and FIFA competitions due to the country's invasion of Ukraine. ^[8] A circular distributed by UEFA on 11 November 2024 stated 192 group stage matches would take place, confirming Russia's exclusion from the tournament. ^[9]

Eritrea withdrew from qualification prior to playing any matches, due to concerns that players would seek political asylum if allowed to travel overseas. ^{[10] [11]}

Congo were suspended on 6 February 2025 due to government interference in Congolese Football Federation operations. ^{[12] [13]} No announcement regarding their status was immediately available, and CAF initially cancelled their remaining matches. ^[14] However, Tanzania and Zambia were later awarded 3–0 victories by forfeit. ^[15] The suspension was lifted by FIFA on 14 May 2025. ^[16]

Sri Lanka were suspended in January 2023 ^[17] and they did not appear in the draw information the AFC released in early July. ^[18] However, they were re-added with the condition that their federation hold elections at least ten days before qualification starts. ^[19]

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): ^[20]

• 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): ^[20]

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). ^[20]

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). ^[20] 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). ^[20]

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. ^[21] The draw for the first round was held on 27 July 2023 at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ^[22] 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. ^[23] 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 qualified for the World Cup, while the third-placed and fourth-placed teams of each group advanced to the fourth round.
• Fourth round: The six teams that advanced from the third round were drawn into two groups of three teams each to play a single round-robin. The winners will qualify for the World Cup, and the runners-up will advance to the fifth round.
• 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.

Most recent stage (third round)

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

Legend
Qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Advance to the fourth round

Group A Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Iran 10 23 2   Uzbekistan 10 21 3   United Arab Emirates 10 15 4   Qatar 10 13 5   Kyrgyzstan 10 8 6   North Korea 10 3 Source: AFC, FIFA

Group B Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   South Korea 10 22 2   Jordan 10 16 3   Iraq 10 15 4   Oman 10 11 5   Palestine 10 10 6   Kuwait 10 5 Source: AFC, FIFA

Group C Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Japan 10 23 2   Australia 10 19 3   Saudi Arabia 10 13 4   Indonesia 10 12 5   China 10 9 6   Bahrain 10 6 Source: AFC, FIFA

Next stage (fourth round)

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

Legend
Qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Advance to the fifth round

Group A Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Qatar (H) 0 0 2   United Arab Emirates 0 0 3   Oman 0 0 First match(es) will be played: 8 October 2025. Source: AFC (H) Hosts

Group B Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Saudi Arabia (H) 0 0 2   Iraq 0 0 3   Indonesia 0 0 First match(es) will be played: 8 October 2025. Source: AFC (H) Hosts

CAF

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)

The CAF Executive Committee announced a new African qualification format on 19 May 2023. ^{[24] [25]}

The draw was held on 13 July 2023 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. ^{[26] [27]} All 54 FIFA-affiliated football associations from CAF entered qualification.

Eritrea withdrew before matches began. ^[28]

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 tables legend
Qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Possibly advance to the second round
Team withdrew

Group A Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Egypt (X) 8 20 2   Burkina Faso 8 15 3   Sierra Leone (Z) 8 12 4   Guinea-Bissau (Z) 8 10 5   Ethiopia (E) 8 6 6   Djibouti (E) 8 1 Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025. Source: FIFA (E) Eliminated; (X) Assured of top two finish; can still qualify directly; (Z) Cannot qualify directly; can still advance to the second round	Group B Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Senegal 8 18 2   DR Congo 8 16 3   Sudan 8 12 4   Togo (E) 8 7 5   Mauritania (E) 8 6 6   South Sudan (E) 8 4 Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025. Source: FIFA (E) Eliminated	Group C Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   South Africa 8 17 2   Benin 8 14 3   Nigeria 8 11 4   Rwanda 8 11 5   Lesotho (E) 8 6 6   Zimbabwe (E) 8 4 Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025. Source: FIFA (E) Eliminated
Group D Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Cape Verde 8 19 2   Cameroon 8 15 3   Libya 8 14 4   Angola (Z) 8 10 5   Mauritius (E) 8 5 6   Eswatini (E) 8 2 Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025. Source: FIFA (E) Eliminated; (Z) Cannot qualify directly; can still advance to the second round	Group E Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Morocco (Q) 7 21 2   Tanzania (Z) 7 10 3   Niger (Z) 6 9 4   Zambia (Z) 6 6 5   Congo (E) 6 1 6   Eritrea 0 0 Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025. Source: FIFA (E) Eliminated; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (Z) Cannot qualify directly; can still advance to the second round	Group F Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Ivory Coast (X) 8 20 2   Gabon (X) 8 19 3   Gambia (E) 8 10 4   Burundi (E) 8 10 5   Kenya (E) 8 9 6   Seychelles (E) 8 0 Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025. Source: FIFA (E) Eliminated; (X) Assured of top two finish; can still qualify directly
Group G Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Algeria 8 19 2   Uganda 8 15 3   Mozambique 8 15 4   Guinea (Z) 8 11 5   Botswana (Z) 8 9 6   Somalia (E) 8 1 Updated to match(es) played on 8 September 2025. Source: FIFA (E) Eliminated; (Z) Cannot qualify directly; can still advance to the second round	Group H Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Tunisia (Q) 8 22 2   Namibia (Z) 8 15 3   Liberia (Z) 8 11 4   Malawi (Z) 8 10 5   Equatorial Guinea (Z) 8 10 6   São Tomé and Príncipe (E) 8 0 Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025. Source: FIFA (E) Eliminated; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (Z) Cannot qualify directly; can still advance to the second round	Group I Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Ghana 8 19 2   Madagascar 8 16 3   Comoros 8 15 4   Mali (Z) 8 12 5   Central African Republic (E) 8 5 6   Chad (E) 8 1 Updated to match(es) played on 8 September 2025. Source: FIFA (E) Eliminated; (Z) Cannot qualify directly; can still advance to the second round

Runners-up table legend
Advance to the second round

Neither CAF nor FIFA have made an official announcement on how Eritrea's withdrawal will affect the rankings of the group runners-up.

Ranking of runners-up

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	Pts
1	Gabon (X)	8	19
2	Madagascar	8	16
3	DR Congo	8	16
4	Burkina Faso	8	15
5	Cameroon	8	15
6	Namibia (Z)	8	15
7	Uganda	8	15
8	Benin	8	14
9	Tanzania (Z)	7	10

Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025.
Source: FIFA
(X) Assured of top two finish; can still qualify directly;
(Z) Cannot qualify directly; can still advance to the second round

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. ^[29]

• 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 played 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 that advanced from the second round were 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 (third round)

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

Legend
Qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Possibly advance to the inter-confederation play-offs

Group A Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Suriname 2 4 2   El Salvador 2 3 3   Panama 2 2 4   Guatemala 2 1 Updated to match(es) played on 8 September 2025. Source: FIFA

Group B Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Jamaica 2 6 2   Curaçao 2 4 3   Trinidad and Tobago 2 1 4   Bermuda 2 0 Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025. Source: FIFA

Group C Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Honduras 2 4 2   Costa Rica 2 2 3   Haiti 2 2 4   Nicaragua 2 1 Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025. Source: FIFA

Runners-up table legend
Advance to the inter-confederation play-offs

Ranking of runners-up

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	Pts
1	Curaçao	2	4
2	El Salvador	2	3
3	Costa Rica	2	2

Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025.
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. ^{[30] [31] [32] [33]} This was approved, with the first games of the qualifiers played in September 2023. ^[34]

Before the qualification competition began, Ecuador were penalized 3 points for falsifying birth documents for Byron Castillo in the previous World Cup qualification cycle. ^[35]

Final positions

Legend
Qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Advance to the inter-confederation play-offs

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	Pts
1	Argentina	18	38
2	Ecuador	18	29
3	Colombia	18	28
4	Uruguay	18	28
5	Brazil	18	28
6	Paraguay	18	28
7	Bolivia	18	20
8	Venezuela	18	18
9	Peru	18	12
10	Chile	18	11

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: ^[36]

• 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 played a three-match knockout round in March 2025. The winner, New Zealand, qualified for the World Cup and the runner-up, New Caledonia, advanced to the inter-confederationplay-offs.

Final positions (third round)

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

	Semi-finals				Final
	21 March 2025 – Wellington
	New Caledonia	3
					24 March 2025 – Auckland
	Tahiti	0
					New Caledonia	0
	21 March 2025 – Wellington
					New Zealand	3
	New Zealand	7
	Fiji	0

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, ^[37] for a total of 16 teams qualifying for the finals.

The qualification draw took place on 13 December 2024 in Zürich, Switzerland. ^[38] 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. ^[39]

• First round (group stage): Twelve groups of either four or five teams were drawn, with group winners qualifying for the World Cup.
• Second round (play-off): Sixteen 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. ^[40]

Current stage (first round)

Legend
Qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Advance to the second round

Group A Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Slovakia 2 6 2   Northern Ireland 2 3 3   Germany (X) 2 3 4   Luxembourg 2 0 Updated to match(es) played on 7 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA (X) Assured of a play-off spot based on Nations League ranking; may still qualify directly	Group B Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1    Switzerland 2 6 2   Kosovo 2 3 3   Sweden 2 1 4   Slovenia 2 1 Updated to match(es) played on 8 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA	Group C Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Denmark 2 4 2   Scotland 2 4 3   Greece 2 3 4   Belarus 2 0 Updated to match(es) played on 8 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA
Group D Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   France (X) 2 6 2   Iceland 2 3 3   Ukraine 2 1 4   Azerbaijan 2 1 Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA (X) Assured of a play-off spot based on Nations League ranking; may still qualify directly	Group E Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Spain (X) 2 6 2   Georgia 2 3 3   Turkey 2 3 4   Bulgaria 2 0 Updated to match(es) played on 7 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA (X) Assured of a play-off spot based on Nations League ranking; may still qualify directly	Group F Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Portugal (X) 2 6 2   Armenia 2 3 3   Hungary 2 1 4   Republic of Ireland 2 1 Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA (X) Assured of a play-off spot based on Nations League ranking; may still qualify directly
Group G Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Netherlands 4 10 2   Poland 5 10 3   Finland 5 7 4   Lithuania 5 3 5   Malta 5 2 Updated to match(es) played on 7 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA	Group H Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 12 2   Austria 4 12 3   Romania 5 7 4   Cyprus (Y) 5 4 5   San Marino (Z) 5 0 Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA (Y) Cannot qualify directly but may be able to qualify for a play-off berth; (Z) Cannot qualify via group position but may still qualify for a play-off spot based on Nations League ranking	Group I Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Norway 5 15 2   Italy 4 9 3   Israel 5 9 4   Estonia (Y) 5 3 5   Moldova (Z) 5 0 Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA (Y) Cannot qualify directly but may be able to qualify for a play-off berth; (Z) Cannot qualify via group position but may still qualify for a play-off spot based on Nations League ranking
Group J Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   North Macedonia 5 11 2   Belgium 4 10 3   Wales 5 10 4   Kazakhstan (Y) 5 3 5   Liechtenstein (E) 5 0 Updated to match(es) played on 7 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA (E) Eliminated; (Y) Cannot qualify directly but may be able to qualify for a play-off berth	Group K Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   England 5 15 2   Albania 5 8 3   Serbia 4 7 4   Latvia (Y) 5 4 5   Andorra (Y) 5 0 Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA (Y) Cannot qualify directly but may be able to qualify for a play-off berth	Group L Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1   Croatia 4 12 2   Czech Republic 5 12 3   Faroe Islands 5 6 4   Montenegro 5 6 5   Gibraltar (E) 5 0 Updated to match(es) played on 8 September 2025. Source: FIFA, UEFA (E) Eliminated

Inter-confederation play-offs

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (inter-confederation play-offs)

A play-off tournament involving six teams – one each from AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL, and OFC and two from CONCACAF – will be held to decide the last two FIFA World Cup berths. The bottom four teams in the FIFA World Rankings will be drawn into two single-elimination matches. The winners of those matches will advance to play the top two teams in two single-elimination matches, and the winners will qualify for the World Cup. The play-offs will be held in March 2026 in North America. ^[41]

Bracket

	Semi-final				Final
					March 2026 – TBC
					Seeded team
	March 2026 – TBC
					Winner of semi-final
	Unseeded team
	Unseeded team

	Semi-final				Final
					March 2026 – TBC
					Seeded team
	March 2026 – TBC
					Winner of semi-final
	Unseeded team
	Unseeded team

Top goalscorers

There have been 1,933 goals scored in 701 matches, for an average of 2.76 goals per match (as of 9 September 2025). Players highlighted in bold are still active in the competition.

12 goals

• Almoez Ali

10 goals

• Mehdi Taremi
• Son Heung-min

9 goals

• Ali Olwan
• Chris Wood
• Erling Haaland

8 goals

• Lionel Messi
• Denis Bouanga
• Sardar Azmoun
• Aymen Hussein
• Ayase Ueda
• Yazan Al-Naimat
• Fábio Lima

Below are goalscorer lists for all confederations:

• AFC
• CAF
• CONCACAF
• CONMEBOL
• OFC
• UEFA

See also

• 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification

References

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