With UEFA and intercontinental playoffs about to begin, the World Cup is around the corner and the field is finally almost set
By Francesco Porzio & Chuck Booth Dec 2, 2025 at 2:01 pm ET • 3 min read 
Getty Images The 2026 FIFA men's World Cup is fast approaching, and with almost all the qualifying finished, the last round of playoffs will confirm the last teams in the new and expanded 48-team field. FIFA decided to expand from the old 32-team format that had been in place since the 1998 World Cup, so there are now 12 groups of four of four teams each. The 2026 edition will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, kicking off on June 11, 2026, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, and ending on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New York City.
Because of the tournament's expansion, Europe is guaranteed 16 slots out of the 48 total teams, while the African confederation (CAF) gets nine, and Asia (AFC) has eight. There will also be a minimum of six each from South America (CONMEBOL) and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf). On top of this, for the first time in history, the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has one guaranteed slot, while the remaining two spots will be decided through intercontinental playoffs.
In part thanks to the expansion, there are four teams that secured qualification to the first men's World Cup in their history. Uzbekistan, Jordan, Cabo Verde and Curacao will all be at the World Cup for the first time, and more first-timers could join them as the dust settles. With a population of 185,494, Curacao became the smallest nation to ever qualify for the World Cup. Let's take a look at who has already booked their tickets to the World Cup:
Already qualified for the 2026 World Cup
Spots clinched: 42/48
World Cup hosts
Since the 2026 World Cup is co-hosted by three nations, they all receive an automatic qualifying spot in the tournament.
- United States
- Mexico
- Canada
AFC Qualifiers
- Iran
- Uzbekistan
- South Korea
- Jordan
- Australia
- Japan
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
Concacaf Qualifiers
- Haiti
- Curacao
- Panama
OFC Qualifier
- New Zealand
CONMEBOL Qualifiers
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Ecuador
- Colombia
- Paraguay
- Uruguay
CAF Qualifiers
- Morocco
- Egypt
- Tunisia
- Ghana
- Cabo Verde
- Algeria
- South Africa
- Senegal
- Ivory Coast
UEFA qualifiers
- England
- France
- Croatia
- Portugal
- Norway
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Switzerland
- Scotland
- Spain
- Austria
- Belgium
UEFA Playoffs
Split into four paths between A-D, the final four spots from UEFA will be determined during this international window. Each path has two single-legged semifinals and then one single-legged final between the winners of each path's semis. These will take place on March 26 and March 31 meanding that by the end of March, all 48 World Cup teams will be known.
Currently in UEFA playoffs
- Slovakia
- Kosovo
- Denmark
- Ukraine
- Turkiye
- Republic of Ireland
- Poland
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Italy
- Wales
- Albania
- Romania
- North Macedonia
- Sweden
- Northern Ireland
UEFA playoff schedule
(All times Eastern)
Thursday, March 26 Path A
- Italy vs. Northern Ireland, 3:45 p.m. (Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia)
- Wales vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, 3:45 p.m. (Cardiff City Stadium)
Path B
- Ukraine vs. Sweden, 3:45 p.m. (Estadi Ciutat de Valencia)
- Poland vs. Albania, 3:45 p.m. (PGE Narodowy)
Path C
- Turkiye vs. Romania, 1 p.m. (Vodafone Park)
- Slovakia vs. Kosovo, 3:45 p.m. (Narodny futbalovy stadion)
Path D
- Denmark vs. North Macedonia, 3:45 p.m. (Parken Stadium)
- Czechia vs. Republic of Ireland, 3:45 p.m. (Sinobo Stadium)
Tuesday, March 31
- Italy or Northern Ireland vs. Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Ukraine or Sweden vs. Poland or Albania
- Turkiye or Romania vs. Slovakia or Kosovo
- Denmark or North Macedonia vs. Czechia or Republic of Ireland
Who makes the inter-confederation playoffs?
The final World Cup participants won't be determined until March of 2026, following the draw for the World Cup groups. A playoff will take place in North America in March, including one team each from the following regions: AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL, OFC, alongside two from Concacaf to determine the final two places in the World Cup.
The bottom four teams in the FIFA World Rankings will be drawn into two single-elimination matches, where the winner will advance to face the top two teams in the rankings, with the winners of those two matches qualifying for the World Cup.
Currently in the inter-confederation playoffs
- Bolivia
- DR Congo
- Iraq
- Jamaica
- New Caledonia
- Suriname
Inter-confederation playoff schedule
(All times Eastern, All matches available on FIFA+)
Thursday, March 26
- Bolivia vs. Suriname, 6 p.m. (Monterrey Stadium)
- New Caledonia vs. Jamaica, 11 p.m. (Guadalajara Stadium)
Tuesday, March 31
- DR Congo vs. New Caledonia or Jamaica, 5 p.m. (Guadalajara Stadium)
- Iraq vs. Bolivia or Suriname, 11 p.m. (Monterrey Stadium)
