Which nations have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?: Full list, 42 of 48 clinch

PHILADELPHIA - The list of countries heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is growing.  Following a thrilling round of November qualifiers, 42 nations have officially secured their place in the expanded 48-team tournament set for North America in 2026.

The road to glory

What we know:

This month’s matches delivered both expected results and historic firsts.

Two Caribbean nations — Curaçao and Haiti — have qualified for the first time in their history, marking a major milestone for the CONCACAF region. This is a beneficial storyline of the expanded 48-team tournament.

In Europe, Scotland grabbed headlines after a stoppage-time goal sealed its place in the tournament, setting off celebrations in Glasgow. Powerhouses like France, Portugal and Spain also punched their tickets with dominant performances.

RELATED: How does the new 2026 FIFA World Cup format work?

Qualified nations ahead of December's draw

Host nations:

• Canada
• Mexico
• United States

Asia (AFC):

• Australia
• IR Iran
• Japan
• Jordan
• Korea Republic
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• Uzbekistan

Africa (CAF):

• Algeria
• Cabo Verde
• Côte d’Ivoire
• Egypt
• Ghana
• Morocco
• Senegal
• South Africa
• Tunisia

North and Central America / Caribbean (CONCACAF):

• Curaçao
• Haiti
• Panama

South America (CONMEBOL):

• Argentina
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Paraguay
• Uruguay

Oceania (OFC):

• New Zealand

Europe (UEFA):

• Austria
• Belgium
• Croatia
• England
• France
• Germany
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Portugal
• Scotland
• Spain
• Switzerland

Spotlight performances

Curaçao and Haiti’s historic runs

For the first time ever, both Curaçao and Haiti have reached the World Cup finals, a massive achievement for nations that have traditionally battled limited resources and competition from regional giants. Their qualification has been celebrated across the Caribbean as a breakthrough moment for smaller football nations.

Scotland’s late heroics

Meanwhile in Europe, Scotland’s qualification came down to the wire. A stoppage-time winner from Kieran Tierney after a stunning overhead kick by SSC Napoli legend Scott McTominay during its final matchday sealed a long-awaited return to the global stage, their first since 1998.

Which teams can still qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

What's next:

While 42 nations have already qualified, several European spots remain up for grabs. The UEFA play-offs in March 2026 will decide four more places at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The play-offs will include the 12 group runners-up from the European qualifiers, plus four Nations League group winners who didn’t finish in the top two of their qualifying groups. Those 16 teams will be divided into four paths, each featuring semifinals and a final — all played in single-leg matches.

The four path winners will advance to join the already-qualified nations in North America.

Countries expected to take part include the likes of Italy, Wales, Poland, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Finland, and Israel, among others, depending on final standings and Nations League placements.

The draw for those play-offs is set for early 2026, and matches will be played in late March, just months before the tournament’s opening kickoff.

Intercontinental playoff (last 2 spots)

Beyond UEFA’s play-offs, FIFA will run a six-team intercontinental playoff to decide the final two World Cup berths. The field includes:

• One team from each confederation: AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL, OFC
• Two teams from CONCACAF (as the host confederation for 2026)

Format: The two highest-ranked teams are seeded into the "finals." The other four play single-match first-round games; those two winners face the seeds, and the two match winners qualify for the World Cup. It’s staged in North America as a tournament-style test event ahead of 2026.

Who’s in the mix?

• Iraq (AFC)
• DR Congo (CAF)
• Bolivia (CONMEBOL)
• New Caledonia (OFC)
• Jamaica (CONCACAF)
• Suriname (CONCACAF)