Spain, 2026 world championsThe 48 qualified teams, group by group
After the intercontinental playoffs concluded on March 31, 2026, we now know the 48 teams that will compete at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The draw was held on December 5, 2025 in Washington D.C., though some slots were filled later by playoff winners.
How did qualification work?
Each confederation has a quota of places assigned by FIFA. Most teams qualified through their regional competitions (South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, CONCACAF), while 2 extra places were decided in intercontinental playoffs between the best runners-up from different confederations. The final field was set on March 31, 2026 when Iraq and DR Congo won the last two available tickets.
Distribution by confederation
| Confederation | Region | Spots | Change vs 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA | Europe | 16 | +4 |
| CAF | Africa | 9 | +4 |
| AFC | Asia | 8 | +3.5 |
| CONMEBOL | South America | 6 | +1 |
| CONCACAF | N/C America | 6 | +2 |
| OFC | Oceania | 1 | +0.5 |
| Inter. playoffs | - | 2 | New |
The 12 complete groups
How to read the table
The first team in each group is the seed (the highest FIFA-ranked at the time of the draw). In the new 48-team format, the top two qualify directly for the Round of 32 and the 8 best third-placed teams also advance. See the detailed makeup of each group with its standings.
| Group | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Mexico | South Africa | South Korea | Czechia |
| B | Canada | Qatar | Switzerland | Bosnia |
| C | Brazil | Morocco | Haiti | Scotland |
| D | USA | Paraguay | Australia | Turkey |
| E | Germany | Curaçao | Ivory Coast | Ecuador |
| F | Netherlands | Japan | Tunisia | Sweden |
| G | Belgium | Egypt | Iran | New Zealand |
| H | Spain | Cape Verde | Saudi Arabia | Uruguay |
| I | France | Senegal | Norway | Iraq |
| J | Argentina | Algeria | Austria | Jordan |
| K | Portugal | Colombia | Uzbekistan | DR Congo |
| L | England | Croatia | Ghana | Panama |
The tournament's surprises
Debutants and historic returns
With 48 places available, several teams that rarely (or never) reach a World Cup are in:
- Haiti (Group C): qualified from CONCACAF for the first time in many years.
- Uzbekistan (Group K): a historic debut for the Central Asian side.
- DR Congo (Group K): qualified via the intercontinental playoff after beating Jamaica. First appearance since 1974.
- Iraq (Group I): qualified in the last intercontinental playoff against Bolivia. First appearance since 1986.
- Cape Verde (Group H): a first-ever World Cup appearance.
- Curaçao (Group E): the small Caribbean island's first qualification.
The most painful absences
- Italy: third straight elimination. 12 years without a World Cup.
- Poland: lost to Sweden in the UEFA playoff path B final.
- Denmark: eliminated by Czechia in the UEFA playoff path D final.
- Bolivia: lost the intercontinental playoff to Iraq.
- Jamaica: fell to DR Congo in the intercontinental playoff.
Frequently asked questions
How many teams are in the 2026 World Cup?
48 national teams will play in the FIFA World Cup 2026, split into 12 groups of 4. It is the largest field in World Cup history, expanded from the 32 of Qatar 2022.
What are the 12 groups of the 2026 World Cup?
The 12 groups are: A (Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czechia), B (Canada, Qatar, Switzerland, Bosnia), C (Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland), D (USA, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey), E (Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador), F (Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Sweden), G (Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand), H (Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay), I (France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq), J (Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan), K (Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, DR Congo), L (England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama).
Which teams did not qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
The most notable absences are Italy (third straight elimination), Chile, and several European sides such as Poland, Denmark, Slovenia and Slovakia. In South America, Bolivia were knocked out in the final intercontinental playoff against Iraq.
When was the 2026 World Cup draw?
The official FIFA World Cup 2026 draw took place on December 5, 2025 at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., with groups set based on FIFA rankings and confederation criteria.
Article by
Luis MoralesJournalist and founder of the blog
Luis Morales is a professional journalist who graduated from Universidad del Externado de Colombia and the founder of this World Cup 2026 blog. He has worked for over three years as a copywriter specialized in football and major sporting events. Every article combines journalistic rigor with verification against official FIFA sources to deliver clear, accurate and useful information for fans.
Journalist and content writer · Universidad del Externado de Colombia · 3+ years
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