FIFA WC 2026 is gonna be the 23rd edition of the world’s biggest sporting event. This time, the tournament will be an expanded one with more teams and more games. For the very first time, 48 teams will participate in the main competition. Previously, 32 teams used to take part in the final stage of this tournament. What are the World Cup groups in 2026? This content will unfold the FIFA World Cup 2026 Groups Table & Team List.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Team List
| Team Name | Confederation | Qualification Status |
| United States | CONCACAF | Qualified as Host |
| Canada | CONCACAF | Qualified as Host |
| Mexico | CONCACAF | Qualified as Host |
| South Africa | CAF | Qualified |
| Korea Republic | AFC | Qualified |
| Qatar | AFC | Qualified |
| Switzerland | UEFA | Qualified |
| Brazil | CONMEBOL | Qualified |
| Morocco | CAF | Qualified |
| Haiti | CONCACAF | Qualified |
| Scotland | UEFA | Qualified |
| Paraguay | CONMEBOL | Qualified |
| Australia | AFC | Qualified |
| Germany | UEFA | Qualified |
| Curacao | CONCACAF | Qualified |
| Ivory Coast | CAF | Qualified |
| Ecuador | CONMEBOL | Qualified |
| Netherlands | UEFA | Qualified |
| Japan | AFC | Qualified |
| Tunisia | CAF | Qualified |
| Belgium | UEFA | Qualified |
| Egypt | CAF | Qualified |
| IR Iran | AFC | Qualified |
| New Zealand | OFC | Qualified |
| Spain | UEFA | Qualified |
| Cabo Verde | CAF | Qualified |
| Saudi Arabia | AFC | Qualified |
| Uruguay | CONMEBOL | Qualified |
| France | UEFA | Qualified |
| Senegal | CAF | Qualified |
| Norway | UEFA | Qualified |
| Argentina | CONMEBOL | Qualified |
| Algeria | CAF | Qualified |
| Austria | UEFA | Qualified |
| Jordan | AFC | Qualified |
| Portugal | UEFA | Qualified |
| Uzbekistan | AFC | Qualified |
| Colombia | CONMEBOL | Qualified |
| England | UEFA | Qualified |
| Croatia | UEFA | Qualified |
| Ghana | CAF | Qualified |
| Panama | CONCACAF | Qualified |
| DEN/MKD/CZE/IRL | UEFA | Yet to Qualify (UEFA Play-Off) |
| ITA/NIR/WAL/BIH | UEFA | Yet to Qualify (UEFA Play-Off) |
| TUR/ROU/SVK/KOS | UEFA | Yet to Qualify (UEFA Play-Off) |
| UKR/SWE/POL/ALB | UEFA | Yet to Qualify (UEFA Play-Off) |
| BOL/SUR/IRQ | CONMEBOL/CONCACAF/AFC | Yet to Qualify (Intercontinental Play-Off) |
| NCL/JAM/COD | CAF/CONCACAF | Yet to Qualify (Intercontinental Play-Off) |
A total of 48 teams will compete in the main stage. 3 teams qualified as the host nations. All other 45 teams will have to come through the qualifier stage. Overall, 42 teams have booked their places, including the host nations. Only 6 teams are up for grabs. 4 teams will come from the UEFA playoff stage, where 16 teams are waiting. The other 2 teams will come through the Intercontinental Play-Off. That will feature teams from CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, CAF, and AFC regions.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Teams Per Continent
| Continent or Confederation | No. of Slots | Qualifier Teams |
| UEFA (Europe) | 16 (12 qualified) | England, France, Croatia, Norway, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Scotland, Spain, Austria, Belgium UEFA Playoff: DEN/MKD/CZE/IRL; ITA/NIR/WAL/BIH; TUR/ROU/SVK/KOS; UKR/SWE/POL/ALB. |
| CAF (Africa) | 9 | Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia |
| AFC (Asia) | 8 | Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea |
| CONMEBOL (South America) | 6 | Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay |
| CONCACAF (North America, Central America, and Caribbean) | 3 | Panama, Curacao, Haiti |
| OFC (Oceania) | 1 | New Zealand |
| Interconfederation playoff winners (CONMEBOL/CONCACF/AFC – 1, CONCACAF/CAF – 1) | 2 (Yet to Qualify) | BOL/SUR/IRQ; NCL/JAM/COD |
- 3 teams qualified as the host nation from the CONCACAF region. They are: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Europe represents the largest number of contenders. 12 sides have directly qualified and booked their places. The other 4 European participants will come via the UEFA play-off stage. 16 sides will compete for those 4 spots.
Africa (CAF), Asia (AFC), and South America (CONMEBOL) will have 9,8, and 6 directly qualified teams from their own. Apart from the 3 host nations, 3 more CONCACAF sides qualified directly through their own qualification stage. OFC represents 1 directly qualified side in this World Cup (New Zealand). 2 inter-confederation playoffs will feature sides from the CONMEBOL (South America), CONCACAF (North America, Central America, and Caribbean), Asia (AFC), Africa (CAF), etc. Only 2 eventual sides will go through.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw Pots
| Pot Number | Teams |
| Pot 1 | Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany |
| Pot 2 | Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia |
| Pot 3 | Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa |
| Pot 4 | Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Play-Off A, B, C, and D, FIFA Interconfederation Play-Off Tournament 1 and 2 |
There were 4 pots and each of them carried 12 representatives. Pot-1 carried the names of 3 host nations and the top 9 sides.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Groups Table
| A Group | B Group | C Group |
| Mexico | Canada | Brazil |
| South Africa | ITA/NIR/WAL/BIH | Morocco |
| Korea Republic | Qatar | Haiti |
| DEN/MKD/CZE/IRL | Switzerland | Scotland |
| D Group | E Group | F Group |
| United States | Germany | Netherlands |
| Paraguay | Curacao | Japan |
| Australia | Cote d’Ivoire | UKR/SWE/POL/ALB |
| TUR/ROU/SVK/KOS | Ecuador | Tunisia |
| G Group | H Group | I Group |
| Belgium | Spain | France |
| Egypt | Cabo Verde | Senegal |
| IR Iran | Saudi Arabia | BOL/SUR/IRQ |
| New Zealand | Uruguay | Norway |
| J Group | K Group | L Group |
| Argentina | Portugal | England |
| Algeria | NCL/JAM/COD | Croatia |
| Austria | Uzbekistan | Ghana |
| Jordan | Colombia | Panama |
The final draw for the 2026 FIFA WC took place on Friday, 5th of December 2025. 48 teams were divided into 12 different groups. World champion Argentina fell into Group J. Albicelestes got African power house Algeria, European rising power Austria, and Asian side Jordan. On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal drew into Group K. Their opponents are Asian side Uzbekistan and 2014 WC’s quarterfinalist and Copa America runners-up Colombia. Another side in that group would be either Jamaica, or Democratic Republic of the Congo, or New Caledonia.
How many groups will there be in 2026?
There will be 12 groups in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
How many teams will be in 2026?
There will be 48 teams in the 2026 FIFA WC.
Did Italy qualify for the World Cup in 2026?
No, Italy is yet to qualify for the 2026 WC. They will have to take part in the UEFA Play-off, where their opponents will be Northern Ireland, Wales, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Only 1 out of these 4 sides will go through and make a place in the WC’s Group B. In that group, qualified sides are host nation Canada, 2022’s host Qatar, and another European side, Switzerland.
Is Portugal qualified for the World Cup 2026?
Yes, they are in Group K! CR7’s nation will take on Uzbekistan, Colombia, and the winner of the NCL/JAM/COD.
