The next World Cup is in North America; here's who's qualified so far

LOS ANGELES - The 2026 FIFA World Cup is on track to be the biggest and most inclusive tournament in history, expanding to 48 teams and spanning three host nations: the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

With the tournament still over a year away, qualification is already underway—and a handful of nations have locked in their spot. Japan and New Zealand recently became the first non-host teams to qualify, joining the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, who earned automatic bids as co-hosts.

The 39-day tournament begins June 11, 2026, and will feature 104 matches across 16 North American cities—all of which will be broadcast on FOX and FOX Sports.

Which teams have qualified for the 2026 World Cup?

What we know:

So far, five nations have officially qualified for the 2026 World Cup:

Host nations (CONCACAF):

• United States
• Mexico
• Canada

Asia (AFC):

• Japan – Qualified March 20 with a 2-0 win over Bahrain

Oceania (OFC):

• New Zealand – Qualified March 24 after a 3-0 win over New Caledonia in Auckland

New Caledonia may still qualify through the intercontinental playoff. Additional teams from Europe, Africa, South America, and other regions are expected to secure their spots in the coming international windows.

What we don't know:

Dozens of teams are still competing for a place in the 2026 World Cup, and most of the 48-team field won’t be finalized until next year.

Two of the final spots will be decided in March 2026, when six teams face off in a special playoff round. Until then, new teams will continue to qualify through matches held across different regions.

How World Cup 2026 qualification works

The backstory:

The 2026 tournament will include 48 teams, and spots are divided by global region. Most countries will have to qualify through regional tournaments, while a few final places will be decided through international playoff matches. Here’s how the spots are split:

• Asia (AFC): 8 teams will qualify directly, with a 9th team getting a chance through a global playoff.
• Africa (CAF): 9 teams will qualify, plus 1 more could qualify through the playoff.
• North America, Central America & the Caribbean (CONCACAF): 3 teams will qualify directly—not including the 3 host countries (U.S., Mexico, and Canada, who are already in)—and 2 others can try through the playoff.
• South America (CONMEBOL): 6 teams will qualify, and 1 more could earn a spot via the playoff.
• Oceania (OFC): For the first time, 1 team is guaranteed a place. Another team from the region could qualify through the playoff.
• Europe (UEFA): 16 teams will qualify directly, the most of any region.

In total, 46 of the 48 spots will be earned through qualifying matches, and the final 2 will be decided in March 2026 during a six-team international playoff.

What’s new about the 2026 World Cup format?

By the numbers:

FIFA revamped the format for 2026, replacing the previous 32-team structure with a 12-group model of four teams per group, resulting in 104 total matches, up from 64 in 2022.

• The top two teams in each group, plus the eight best third-place teams, will advance to a 32-team knockout round.
• Teams will need to play eight matches to win the World Cup, up from seven in previous editions.

This expanded format means more matches, more broadcasting opportunities, and more ticket revenue for FIFA—and fans.

Where will games be played—and where is the final?

By the numbers:

The 2026 tournament will take place across 16 cities in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Key details:

• U.S. Men’s National Team opens group play at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on June 12.
• They’ll play a second group match in Seattle at Lumen Field, then return to SoFi Stadium for their final group game on June 25.
• The third-place match will be held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
• The World Cup Final will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.

AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will host nine matches, including a semifinal—the most of any venue. The other semifinal will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

FIFA World CupSportsNews