2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification: The Road to Canada, Mexico, and the United States

Qualifying Process

The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification process will determine the teams that will join hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The qualification process will begin in September 2023 and will conclude in 2025.

Teams Qualifying

A total of 48 teams will qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The hosts, Canada, Mexico, and the United States, will automatically qualify. The remaining 45 teams will be determined through a series of qualifying tournaments.

Qualification Tournaments

The qualifying tournaments will be held in six confederations: Asia, Africa, North and Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Oceania, and Europe. Each confederation will have a different number of teams qualifying for the World Cup.

Asia

Nine Asian teams will qualify directly for the World Cup.

Africa

Nine African teams will qualify directly for the World Cup.

North and Central America and the Caribbean

Six teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean will qualify directly for the World Cup.

South America

Six teams from South America will qualify directly for the World Cup.

Oceania

One team from Oceania will qualify directly for the World Cup.

Europe

Thirteen European teams will qualify directly for the World Cup.