The 2026 World Cup expanded the field from 32 teams to 48, raising the number of available berths in every confederation. The three host nations took their slots automatically, with the remaining 45 places distributed across FIFA's six confederations through regional qualifying tournaments held between 2023 and 2025. Six nations also reached the finals through an inter-confederation play-off held in November 2025.
Confederation allocation
| Confederation | Allocation | Qualified |
|---|---|---|
| UEFA (Europe) | 16 direct spots. | 16 |
| CAF (Africa) | 9 direct spots, plus 1 inter-confederation play-off entrant. | 10 |
| CONMEBOL (South America) | 6 direct spots, plus 1 inter-confederation play-off entrant. | 6 |
| CONCACAF (North & Central America, Caribbean) | 3 host nations plus 3 direct qualifiers and 2 inter-confederation play-off entrants. | 6 |
| AFC (Asia) | 8 direct spots, plus 1 inter-confederation play-off entrant. | 9 |
| OFC (Oceania) | 1 direct spot, plus 1 inter-confederation play-off entrant. | 1 |
CONCACAF spot count includes the three host nations.
UEFA (Europe)
Europe's 55 federations contested 16 direct berths through twelve qualifying groups, with group winners going straight through and runners-up entering a play-off path. This is the largest single allocation at the tournament.
Austria, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey.
CAF (Africa)
Africa was allocated 9 direct places, distributed across nine qualifying groups whose winners advance automatically. A tenth team is contested through the inter-confederation play-off.
Algeria, Cape Verde, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia.
CONMEBOL (South America)
South America's ten federations competed in a single round-robin league. The top six finishers qualified directly, with the seventh-placed side entering the inter-confederation play-off.
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay.
CONCACAF (North & Central America, Caribbean)
Canada, Mexico and the United States qualified automatically as co-hosts. The remaining three direct spots were contested through CONCACAF's final round, with two further nations entering the inter-confederation play-off.
Canada (host), Curaçao, Haiti, Mexico (host), Panama, USA (host).
AFC (Asia)
Asia received 8 direct places. Eighteen teams contested the third round of qualifying in three groups of six, with the top two from each group going through. A further team competed in the inter-confederation play-off.
Australia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan.
OFC (Oceania)
Oceania received a guaranteed World Cup berth for the first time. The winner of a final qualifying tournament took the direct spot, with the runner-up advancing to the inter-confederation play-off.
Inter-confederation play-off
Six federations sent one representative each to a six-team play-off tournament hosted at neutral venues in November 2025: a CONMEBOL side, a CAF side, an AFC side, an OFC side and two CONCACAF sides. Two seeded teams entered at the second stage; the four lowest-ranked entrants contested a first round. The two play-off winners took the final two berths at the World Cup.