We now know the 48 teams that will be appearing at the 2026 World Cup.
The final six spots were decided in March, with four European teams qualifying via UEFA’s play-offs – Sweden, Turkey, Bosnia & Herzegovina and the Czech Republic.
The other two spots were taken by Iraq and DR Congo, who qualified via the inter-confederation play-offs. DR Congo, who saw off Jamaica, end a 52-year wait, while Iraq, who beat Bolivia in a decider, are back at football’s showpiece event for the first time in four decades.
Among those to have booked their place already before the play-offs were Curacao, with the Caribbean island becoming the smallest nation to qualify for a World Cup.
Lionel Messi’s Argentina won the World Cup in Qatar and will defend their title in 2026
Curacao will join holders Argentina and home nations England and Scotland at the tournament, which is taking place across three host nations – Canada, Mexico and USA – from June 11 to July 19.
It will be the biggest yet, with 48 nations taking part – 16 more than in Qatar 2022. Here are the countries that have qualified for the tournament…
World Cup 2026 groups
Group A: Mexico, Czech Republic, South Africa, South Korea
Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Haiti, Morocco, Scotland
Group D: United States, Australia, Paraguay, Turkey
Group E: Curacao, Ecuador, Germany Ivory Coast
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Uruguay
Group I: France, Norway, Senegal, Iraq
Group J: Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Colombia, Jamaica, Portugal, Uzbekistan
Group L: Croatia, England, Ghana, Panama
World Cup match schedule and draw
The full World Cup match schedule was released after the draw, with the opening game held in Mexico City.
The final will take place at the New York-New Jersey (MetLife) Stadium – home of the New York Giants and New York Jets.
Group stage: June 11-27
Round of 32: June 28 to July 3
Round of 16: July 4-7
Quarter-finals: July 9-11
Semi-finals: July 14-15
Third-place play-off (‘Bronze final’): July 18
Final: July 19
