Qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup began on Oct. 12, 2023, when minor nations from the Asian confederation played their first round of matches. Myanmar’s Lwin Moe Aung scored the very first goal in a 5-1 win over Macau.
Most confederations now have qualifying well underway, but we’re a long way from discovering the full list of 45 nations who will join hosts United States, Mexico and Canada.
Japan became the very first country to qualify on March 20, followed by New Zealand, Iran and Argentina a few days later.
What can be decided this week
European qualifying only started in March, while Africa takes a break in June and Oceania is wrapped up.
The main stage of Asian qualifying completes this week, meaning another two nations will punch their ticket to the World Cup.
There’s still four rounds to be played in South America, but expect further qualifiers to join Argentina.
In Concacaf, the second round comes to a close — though there are no direct qualifiers at this stage.
Here’s where we’re at around the globe.
QUALIFIED (4/45): Japan, New Zealand, Iran, Argentina
As in recent qualifying competitions, all 10 nations play each other home and away. The top six nations qualify directly to the finals. The seventh-placed team will go into the inter-confederation playoffs in March 2026.
The first qualifiers took place in September 2023, with the league phase to be completed with double-headers in June and September.
Argentina are the one team to confirm their place so far, but the top six in the table are in a very strong position.
How it’s looking this week
With a five-point gap between sixth-placed Colombia (20 points) and seventh-placed Venezuela (15 points) and only four games to play, it’s not looking likely that we’ll get an exciting end to South American qualifying.
Ecuador (2nd, 23 points) can qualify with a win at home to Brazil, if Venezuela draw or lose later that night.
Uruguay (3rd, 21 points), Brazil (4th, 21 points), Paraguay (5th, 21 points) and Colombia (20 points) cannot qualify in this round, but could get over the line on Tuesday.
But on Thursday there is a huge fixture as Bolivia (eighth, 14 points) can climb above Venezuela and into the playoff place if they pick up three points on home turf.
Thursday’s games
Ecuador vs. Brazil
Paraguay vs. Uruguay
Chile vs. Argentina
Colombia vs. Peru
Venezuela vs. Bolivia
Tuesday’s games
Bolivia vs. Chile
Uruguay vs. Venezuela
Argentina vs. Colombia
Brazil vs. Paraguay
Peru vs. Ecuador
– Check out the fixtures and results | Latest table
This is by some distance the most complicated route to the World Cup, with a layered qualifying process featuring a dual group stage to find the eight automatic qualifiers. But the main part will be done and dusted in June.
Round 1: The 20 lowest-ranked nations played two-legged ties in October 2023. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore and Yemen advanced.
Round 2: Those 10 winners joined the 26 best-ranked nations. The 36 teams were drawn into nine groups of four teams, with the top two nations going through to Round 3. This stage began in November 2023 and was completed in June 2024.
Advanced: Australia, Bahrain, China, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, North Korea, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan
Round 3: We’re now left with 18 nations, who have been drawn into three groups of six teams. Matches began in September 2024 and the round is completed in June.
The group winners and runners-up will take the first six places at the 2026 World Cup and their campaign is complete.
Japan became the first team to qualify for the World Cup on March 20, with Iran following on March 25.
The six nations who finish in third and fourth move on to Round 4.
How it’s looking this week
GROUP A
Uzbekistan (17 points) and United Arab Emirates (13 points) battle it out for the second automatic place behind Iran. And on Thursday, it’s UAE vs. Uzbekistan.
Nothing less than a win for UAE will keep them in contention. Uzbekistan will hope to avoid defeat, which will send them to their first-ever World Cup. If UAE don’t win, they are guaranteed to move on to Round 4.
Qatar (10 points) can’t qualify in this stage but they look good to go through to Round 4. However, they must host Iran on Thursday and a loss could open the door for Kyrgyzstan (6 points).
GROUP B
South Korea (16 points) top the group and are in a healthy position. A point away to third-placed Iraq (12 points) in Basra will send South Korea to the World Cup. However, if Iraq win there will be just a point between the two countries and it will go down to Tuesday’s final round — but South Korea do have the cushion of playing bottom-of-the-table Kuwait (5 points), while Iraq are in Jordan.
If South Korea beat Iraq, then Jordan (13 points) in second place can also secure their first World Cup ticket with a win away to fourth-placed Oman (10 points). Oman will have other ideas, and will look for a win that not only puts them into contention for the top two, but ensures at worst they will be in Round 4.
Kuwait host Palestine (6 points) and if there’s a winner in that game there’ll still be hope of making the top four.
GROUP C
Australia (13 points) host already-qualified Japan on Thursday, knowing they will be at the World Cup with a victory if third-placed Saudi Arabia (10 points) don’t win at fifth-placed Bahrain (6 points). A draw could also be enough if Saudi Arabia lose and fourth-placed Indonesia (9 points) don’t beat bottom side China (6 points).
On Tuesday, there’s a huge showdown between Saudi Arabia and Australia in Jeddah. If it does go to the final day, Australia know that — regardless of Thursday’s results — a point should be enough due to their superior goal difference.
Indonesia have a small chance of the top two, but are more likely to be in Round 4. However, they do go to Japan on the final day which means Bahrain or China still have hope.
– Check out the latest fixtures and results here | Latest tables
Round 4: The six teams in this stage will be drawn into two groups of three. They will play each other once, so two matches, on neutral ground in October 2025.
The group winners take the final two automatic places at the World Cup.
The two runners-up continue on to Round 5.
Round 5: A two-legged tie in November 2025 to earn the place in the inter-confederation playoffs.
Qualifying finally began on March 21 when most of the European teams who are not in UEFA Nations League (UNL) action played their first matches.
There are 55 European nations, although 54 will compete as Russia remain suspended due to the invasion of Ukraine.
There are 12 groups of four or five teams, playing home and away matches. The group stage qualifying process continues with double-headers in June, September and October, and it’s then completed in November.
The 12 group winners will qualify directly for the World Cup, with the 12 runners-up entering the playoff system.
– Check out the latest fixtures and results here | Tables
The final four places at the World Cup will be determined via the UEFA playoffs, to be played in March 2026. There is no path to the World Cup through FIFA’s inter-confederation playoffs.
The UEFA playoffs involve 16 teams: the 12 runners-up plus the four best-ranked group winners from the UNL, who did not finish in the top two in World Cup qualifying. This creates four routes, each with four teams featuring a one-legged semifinal and a final for a place at the World Cup.
The priority order for the four World Cup playoff places through the UNL is: Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, England, Norway, Wales, Czechia, Romania, Sweden, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Moldova, San Marino
Of the 14 teams to win their UNL groups, 10 of those were in Pot 1 or 2 for the World Cup qualifying draw — so on ranking would finish in the top two of their group. If that comes to pass, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Moldova and San Marino would get a playoff place.
Seeding:
Pot 1: World Cup qualifying group runners-up with the best four records
Pot 2: As above, teams fifth to eighth
Pot 3: As above, teams ninth to 12th
Pot 4: UEFA Nations League teams
Semifinals:
Pot 1 vs. Pot 4
Pot 2 vs. Pot 3
Usually, Concacaf would have six automatic places in qualifying — but for the 2026 finals three of the six are taken up by the hosts. That leaves three places to be won, plus two spots in the inter-confederation playoff path.
Concacaf saw 32 nations enter the race to make the finals.
Round 1: The four lowest-ranked Concacaf nations battled it out in two-legged ties. Anguilla and British Virgin Islands eliminated Turks and Caicos Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands respectively, both on penalties.
Round 2: The top 28-ranked nations, plus the two winners from Round 1, were drawn into six groups of five teams. Teams play each other only once, rather than home and away. This stage will be played in two blocks, with the first was held in June 2024 with the second to come through the course of this week.
The six group winners and six group runners-up will move on to Round 3.
– Check out the latest fixtures and results here | Latest tables
Round 3: The 12 remaining teams will be drawn into three groups of four teams. This phase will be played in September, October and November 2025. The group winners will qualify for the World Cup, with the two runners-up with the best record going on to take part in the inter-confederation playoffs.
There were 54 FIFA-affiliated nations in the draw.
However, Eritrea subsequently withdrew. Congo, in the same group, were suspended by FIFA on Feb. 6 due to government interference, though they had lost all three group games at the time.
Round 1: The teams are in eight groups of six nations, and one group of four (with Eritrea and Congo removed.)
The nine group winners qualify for the World Cup.
This stage began in November 2023 and will be completed with rounds to be played in September and October.
The race to the World Cup is starting to take shape with qualifying at the halfway stage.
– Check out the latest fixtures and results here | Latest tables
Round 2: The four best runners-up will enter playoffs (two semifinals and a final) to decide which one country will go to the inter-confederation playoffs. This stage will be played in November 2025.
All 11 members of the OFC region took part.
Round 1: The four lowest-ranked nations played a knockout format (two semis and a final) in Samoa in September 2024.
American Samoa, Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga were in this round. Samoa beat Tonga 2-1 in the final to advance.
Round 2: Samoa and the seven top-ranked nations were drawn into two groups of four nations, with matches played in October and November 2024. Games were held in Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.
The top two countries in each group — New Caledonia, Tahiti, New Zealand and Fiji — went on to Round 3.
– Check out the results here | Final tables
Round 3: The four remaining countries then played a one-legged knockout format (two semis and a final) in New Zealand in March 2025.
Semifinals, March 21
New Caledonia 3-0 Tahiti
New Zealand 7-0 Fiji
Final, March 24
New Caledonia 0-3 New Zealand
As winners of the final, New Zealand have qualified for the World Cup, with losers New Caledonia moving onto the inter-confederation playoffs.
Inter-confederation playoffs (2 places)
The playoffs, to be held in March 2026, will determine the final two qualifiers.
Six countries will take part. Each of the five confederations (apart from UEFA) will provide one country. The host confederation (so for this edition Concacaf) receives a second slot.
1 Africa
1 Asia
2 Concacaf
1 Oceania (New Caledonia)
1 South America
The two nations with the best FIFA World Ranking will be seeded and go straight into one of the two finals.
The four other countries will be drawn to play a semifinal, feeding through to play a seed for one of the two places at the World Cup.
The playoffs are due to be held in one of the World Cup host nations as a test event.
