With less than a year until kickoff, the field of confirmed qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is steadily expanding. As host nations, the United States, Mexico, and Canada have automatically secured their spots. Meanwhile, several strong teams from Asia—Japan, Iran, Jordan, South Korea, Uzbekistan (making its World Cup debut), and Australia—as well as Oceania’s New Zealand, have already punched their tickets. South America has contributed six teams so far: Argentina led the way, followed by Brazil, Ecuador, and most recently Uruguay, Colombia, and Paraguay, who clinched qualification during the September international window. Africa’s first confirmed representative is Morocco, keeping up their impressive World Cup legacy.

The group-stage draw for the expanded 48-team tournament is scheduled to take place on Friday, December 5, 2025, at Washington, D.C.’s prestigious Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. This will mark one of the first major milestones on the road to the tournament. The three hosts—Mexico, Canada, and the United States—will be seeded into specific groups (Group A, B, and D respectively), while 42 of the 48 teams will be known by then; the final six will still be decided via playoffs in March 2026

Altogether, 17 nations have now qualified. With most confederations still in the midst of their qualification cycles—particularly UEFA, CAF, AFC, and the remaining CONCACAF slots—the global picture remains incomplete. But with new faces like Uzbekistan emerging and many giants already in place, the 2026 World Cup is shaping up to be bigger and more diverse than ever. The upcoming draw on December 5 will bring the tournament into sharper focus—and set the stage for another epic chapter in World Cup history.