North America plays in the largest world cup in history in 2026, with more nations than ever before competing in the largest stage in football.
The rating has now begun in all members of members and the trip will be difficult for many. The process began until October 2023 for some.
The extended tournament opens opportunities for an even greater representation worldwide, with each federation with more guaranteed places in the World Cup than ever.
With most of the qualification campaigns ending at the end of the year, here is an overview of the nations that have reserved their place by 2026 World Cup.
|
Nation |
Date Qualified |
|---|---|
|
United States |
Guests |
|
Canada |
Guests |
|
Mexico |
Guests |
|
Japan |
March 20, 2025 |
For the first time in the history of the World Cup, 48 teams will compete in the tournament. From 1998 to 2022, the World Cup was a tournament of 32 teams.
Fifa Initially planned for their enlarged competition to involve 16 groups of three teams, but the emotions that the groups of four teams supplied to Qatar means that the group stage in 2026 will include 12 groups of four and 32 teams will advance to the knockout.
There is already talk of the desire of the FIFA to make the World Cup in a tournament of 64 nations as soon as in 2030, which means that in 2026 it can be the only 48 team competition.
12 of the 22 World Cups have been won by a European and UEFA nation, due to the size of the Federation and the previous results, have the most direct time slots for the 2026 World Cup.
The qualification in Europe began in March 2025 and will not be concluded until March 2026, only a couple of months before the tournament begins. 16 nations have their place in North America, and the twelve winners of the group add to four play-off winners.
The rest of ten World Cup wins have been claimed by three South -American nations: Brazil, Argentine headlines and Uruguay.
Only ten teams are involved in the Conmebol standings, but at least six will compete in the World Cup of 2026. There is also a place of open inter-summary play-off.
Those who finish in the top six in the standings will reserve their places, while the seventh place will compete in the play-off.
The hosts automatically qualify for the tournament, so the US, Canada and Mexico are not involved in the CONCACAF qualification process.
The classification is a three -stage process, with the third and final round that includes 12 teams that will be attracted to three groups of four. The three winners of the group will join the hosts of the World Cup of 2026, while the two highest ranked runners-up will be ranked for the Play-off Inter-Cont-Continental.
In March 2025, Japan became the first nation outside the three hosts to classify -for the 2026 World Cup by virtue of the C winner C in the third round of classification AFC. They are one of the eight members of the AFC to be ranked for the tournament and there is a place of Inter-Continental Play-Off open to one of the runners-up in the fourth round group.
There will be nine African representatives in the tournament in the back of the Morocco historical campaign in 2022. The nine winners of the group in CAF classify all of them, and there is a place in the Play-Off Inter-Cont-nuts for one of the four best performance runners-up.
New Zealand has returned to the World Cup by means of the qualification of of, while Nova Caledonia will participate in the play-off Inter-Cont-Continental. Australia will seek to unite their ocean neighbors in North America, but they have a job to do in their AFC qualification group.
Australia and New Zealand have competed in the same World Cup once before (2010).
The First World Cup of 48 teams will be properly held in North America, with the USA, Canada and Mexico all the games that host the tournament. 11 of the 16 places found in the United States are in the United States, with three Mexican cities and two Canadians that also host.
In 2026 it is the first Cup of the North World -American since the United States held the tournament in 1994 and the first to be held in three countries.
Metlife Stadium, headquarters of the New York Giants and Jets, has been selected to host the final on July 19.
