Emotions ran high on a night of historic wins and last-gasp goals as the last eight of the 43 automatic qualification spots for the FIFA World Cup 2026 were sealed across Europe (UEFA), Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF).
With less than seven months to go until the expanded 48-team tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, European heavyweights Spain and the tiny Caribbean nation Curacao were among those to book a spot amid tears of joy and wild celebrations late on Tuesday.
Curacao became the smallest country ever – with a population of just 156,000 – to qualify for the World Cup on November 18 as Haiti booked their return to the tournament for the first time in 52 years, along with Panama.
It was also a week of heartbreak and shock for some of the biggest names in football, including former European champions Greece and African powerhouse Nigeria, as they were knocked out of contention for the most popular sports tournament in the world.
Meanwhile, four-time world champions Italy find themselves in the European playoffs along with 15 other teams in a fight for four slots, and four-time Arab champions Iraq booked a place in the intercontinental playoffs.
Here’s what you need to know about the qualified teams, the playoffs and the biggest names to miss out on the FIFA World Cup 2026:
Which countries have qualified for the World Cup 2026?
Following the last round of direct qualification, here’s a continental breakdown of the qualified teams:
Co-hosts: Canada, Mexico and USA
Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Europe: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Oceania: New Zealand
Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Curacao, Panama, Haiti
When will all the teams for the FIFA World Cup 2026 be confirmed?
As late as March 31, 2026. With the European qualification rounds stretching to March and the intercontinental playoff final also scheduled for the same month, we will not know our final 48 teams for the World Cup until less than three months before the tournament.
Which teams are in the World Cup 2026 playoffs?
The playoffs are divided into two parts: European and intercontinental.
The European leg will seal the last four UEFA spots in the World Cup, while the intercontinental playoff will see representatives of all other continental groups contest for the last two berths.
European playoff teams: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia, Denmark, Italy, Kosovo, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Turkiye, Ukraine, Wales, Romania, Sweden, Northern Ireland, North Macedonia
Intercontinental playoff teams: Bolivia, DR Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname
How do the European playoffs for the FIFA World Cup 2026 work?
After eight months of group-stage qualifying matches, 12 of the 16 European teams – the most for any continent – at the World Cup were sealed when the 12 group winners were confirmed, with former champions Spain among them.
The last four places will be determined in the playoffs, which will be contested by 16 teams – 12 group runners-up from the regular qualifying round and the best four UEFA Nations League group winners – in March.
The teams will be divided into four playoff paths and four pots of four teams each, with the 12 group runners-up in three pots and the four other teams in the fourth pot.
Each of the four paths will comprise two single-leg semifinals and one single-leg final. The teams for the paths will be drawn later on Wednesday.
The winners of the four finals will grab the last remaining UEFA spots for the World Cup.
The semifinals will be played on March 26 and the finals on March 31.
What are the intercontinental playoffs for the World Cup 2026 and how do they work?
The intercontinental playoffs determine the last two non-European finalists for the World Cup, with six teams from the other four continental football bodies.
Asia will be represented by Iraq, Africa by DR Congo, CONCACAF by Jamaica and Suriname, Oceania by New Caledonia and South America by Bolivia.
The top two seeded teams – Iraq and DR Congo – have earned direct qualification for the two finals, while the other two finalists will be determined via two semifinals played between the four remaining teams.
The schedule for the intercontinental playoffs has not been confirmed.
Which major teams have been eliminated from qualification?
Nigeria were among the latest big names to be eliminated from the qualification process, following on from Chile, who were third-place finishers in 1962.
While China are not considered among the football powerhouses in Asia, their focus on building the game at home and seeing themselves in another World Cup, following their 2002 appearance, was crushed on June 5.
Some of the other shock omissions: Cameroon, Mali, Costa Rica, Greece and Serbia.
When and where is the draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
US President Donald Trump confirmed, in August, that the draw for the World Cup will take place on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, and didn’t rule out that he himself might oversee the event.
The draw will begin at noon local time (17:00 GMT).
Will Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi play in the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Earlier this month, Ronaldo confirmed the tournament will be his swansong on football’s biggest stage.
“Definitely, yes, because I will be 41 years old [at the World Cup],” said the Portuguese superstar, who is also the top scorer in history with 143 international goals.
“I gave everything for football. I’ve been in the game for the last 25 years. I did everything. I have many records in the different scenarios in the clubs and also in the national teams. I’m really proud. So let’s enjoy the moment, live the moment.”
Meanwhile, Messi has also expressed hope that he will lead Argentina’s title defence in North America but acknowledged that his age and fitness will dictate his role.
Speaking to NBC News in October, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner said he will take time next year to assess his physical condition before deciding whether to play in the tournament.
“It’s something extraordinary to be able to be in a World Cup, and I would love to,” the Argentinian captain said.
“I would like to be there, to be well, and be an important part of helping my team, if I am there. I’m going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start pre-season next year with Inter, and see if I can really be 100 percent, if I can be useful, and then make a decision.
“I’m really eager because it’s a World Cup. We’re coming off winning the last one, and being able to defend it on the field again is spectacular, because it’s always a dream to play with the national team.”
When is the FIFA World Cup 2026 scheduled?
The tournament begins on June 11 and ends on July 19.
Who will host the FIFA World Cup 2026 final?
The tournament will begin at the Mexico City Stadium, while the US will host the final at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
