2026 FIFA World Cup qualification
The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification determines which teams will join Canada, Mexico, and the United States as teams in the tournament. It started on September 7, 2023, with three matches in the CONMEBOL zone.[1]
Qualified countries
| Team | Method of qualification |
Date of qualification |
Total times qualified |
Last time qualified |
Current consecutive appearances |
Previous best performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Hosts | 14 February 2023[note 1] | 3 | 2022 | 2 | Group stage (1986, 2022) |
| Mexico | Hosts | 14 February 2023[note 1] | 18 | 2022 | 9 | Quarter-finals (1970, 1986) |
| United States | Hosts | 14 February 2023[note 1] | 12 | 2022 | 2 | Third place (1930) |
| Japan | AFC third round Group C winners | 20 March 2025 | 8 | 2022 | 8 | Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022) |
| New Zealand | OFC third round winners | 24 March 2025 | 3 | 2010 | 1 | Group stage (1982, 2010) |
| Iran | AFC third round Group A winners/runners-up | 25 March 2025 | 7 | 2022 | 4 | Group stage (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022) |
| Argentina | CONMEBOL top six | 25 March 2025 | 19 | 2022 | 14 | Winners (1978, 1986, 2022) |
| Uzbekistan | AFC third round Group A winners/runners-up | 5 June 2025 | 1 | — | 1 | — |
Notes
Qualification process
On 9 May 2017, the FIFA Council approved the slot allocation scheme for the new 48-team final format.
Summary of qualification
| Confederation | Direct slots | Play-off slots | Teams started | Teams eliminated | Teams qualified | Qualifying start date | Qualifying next match date | Qualifying end date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC | 8 | 1 | 46 | 28 | 0 | 12 October 2023 | 20 March 2025 | 18 November 2025 |
| CAF | 9 | 1 | 53 | 0 | 0 | 15 November 2023 | March 2025 | November 2025 |
| CONCACAF | 3+3 | 2 | 32+3 | 2 | 0+3 | 22 March 2024 | 4 June 2025 | November 2025 |
| CONMEBOL | 6 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 September 2023 | 20 March 2025 | September 2025 |
| OFC | 1 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 6 September 2024 | 21 March 2025 | 24 March 2025 |
| UEFA | 16 | 0 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 21 March 2025 | 21 March 2025 | 31 March 2026 |
| Play-offs | 2 | — | (6) | 0 | 0 | March 2026 | March 2026 | March 2026 |
| Total | 45+3 | 6 | 206+3 | 37 | 0+3 | 7 September 2023 | 20 March 2025 | 31 March 2026 |
Top goalscorers
There have been 1067 goals scored in 392 matches, for an average of 2.72 goals per match. Players highlighted in bold are still active in the competition.
12 goals
10 goals
8 goals
- Ayase Ueda
- Yazan Al-Naimat
7 goals
- Sardar Azmoun
- Mehdi Taremi
- Aymen Hussein
- Fábio Lima
6 goals
- Lionel Messi
- Kusini Yengi
- Kōki Ogawa
- Musa Al-Taamari
- Ali Olwan
- Joel Kojo
- Chris Wood
Notes
References
- ↑ "Arrancan las Eliminatorias Sudamericanas hoy con tres partidos. ¿Por dónde verlos?". futbol.com.uy - Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). 7 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ↑ "FIFA Council highlights record breaking revenue in football". FIFA. 14 February 2023. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.