World Cup 2026: which teams have qualified so far and when will the playoff be?

The last team to qualify was South Africawhich was added to the contingent of Africa in the World Cup next year after winning the Tuesday 3-0 to Rwandasecuring first place in their qualifying group despite being penalized with a three-point deduction for improper alignment at the beginning of the process.

In this way, it will be the first appearance of South Africa in a men’s World Cup since automatically qualifying as host in 2010. In addition, it left Nigeria in second place in Group C and will have to qualify through a playoff.

World Cup 2026: which teams have qualified so far

The World Cupwhich will have 48 teams for the first time, will begin on June 11, with its opening match at the Azteca Stadium, and the new champion will be known on July 19. With the classification of South Africa 28 of the 48 teams that will participate in the World Cup have already been decided.

Cape Verde was the most recent to join. This Tuesday Ivory Coast and Senegal also got their places, and in the playoff, in addition to Nigeria, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon will end up. The list of those classified so far is as follows:

1. Canada (host)
2. Mexico (host)
3. United States (host)
4. Japan (Asia)
5. New Zealand (Oceania)
6. Iran (Asia)
7. Argentina (South America)
8. Uzbekistan (Asia)
9. South Korea (Asia)
10. Jordan (Asia)
11. Australia (Asia)
12. Brazil (South America)
13. Ecuador (South America)
14. Uruguay (South America)
15. Colombia (South America)
16. Paraguay (South America)
17. Morocco (Africa)
18. Tunisia (Africa)
19. Egypt (Africa)
20. Algeria (Africa)
21. Ghana (Africa)
22. Cape Verde (Africa)
23. South Africa (Africa)
24. Qatar (Asia)
25. England (Europe)
26. Saudi Arabia (Asia)
27. Ivory Coast (Africa)
28. Senegal (Africa)

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With less than a year to go until the World Cup, 20 teams remain to qualify.

World Repechage 2026: when it is played and who participates

He Qualifying Tournament towards the next World Cup has a new format that will replace the traditional inter-confederation playoff series and will take place in Mexicospecifically in the cities of Monterrey and Guadalajaraduring March of next year, on the last FIFA Qualifying date.

In this new format, they will be disputed two keys of three teams in a single match, with a semifinal and a final per bracket, and two teams that will advance directly to the defining match, chosen by their position in the FIFA ranking.

For now, only three teams are assured of their presence in the playoffs. New Caledonia, which got its place despite losing 3-0 in the final of the Oceania Qualifiers against New Zealand. The New Zealanders, on the other hand, have already qualified directly for the World Cup.

Another selection is Boliviawhich beat Brazil 1-0 in El Alto and took advantage of Venezuela’s defeat at home against Colombia to take seventh place in the CONMEBOL Qualifiers standings.

Finally, Nigeria They beat Benin 4-0 after a hat-trick from striker Victor Osimhen. However, South Africa’s victory forced them to play in the playoffs.

The other places will be distributed between different confederations: the AFC fifth round winner (Asia) and two places for CONCACAFwhich will be occupied by the best seconds of the third round. The Asian representative will emerge from the crossroads between the United Arab Emirates and Iraq, which finished second in the fourth round of the Qualifiers. The UEFAfor its part, will not have representation in this process.