A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 7 September 2023 – March 2026 |
| Teams | Maximum of 207 (from 6 confederations) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 177 |
| Goals scored | 462 (2.61 per match) |
| Attendance | 3,110,974 (17,576 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) |  Almoez Ali(7 goals) |
The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification will decide the teams that will join hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Qualification began on 7 September 2023 with three matches of the CONMEBOL zone played that day.[1] The first goal of the qualification series was scored by Colombian player Rafael Santos Borré.
Slot allocation
On 30 March 2017, the Bureau of the FIFA Council (composed of the FIFA president and the presidents of each of the six confederations) proposed a slot allocation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The recommendation was submitted for the ratification by the FIFA Council.[2][3]
On 9 May 2017, two days before the 67th FIFA Congress, the FIFA Council approved the slot allocation in a meeting in Manama, Bahrain. This includes an intercontinental play-off tournament involving six teams to decide the last two FIFA World Cup spots.[4]
The ratification of slot allocation also gives the OFC a guaranteed berth in the final tournament for the first time in FIFA World Cup history: the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first tournament in which all six confederations have at least one guaranteed berth.
Qualified teams
| Team | Method of qualification |
Date of qualification |
Finals appearance |
Last time qualified |
Current consecutive appearances[note 1] |
Previous best performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Canada |
Hosts | 14 February 2023[note 2] | 3rd | 2022 | 2 | Group stage (1986, 2022) |
 Mexico |
Hosts | 14 February 2023[note 2] | 18th | 2022 | 9 | Quarter-finals (1970, 1986) |
 United States |
Hosts | 14 February 2023[note 2] | 12th | 2022 | 2 | Third place (1930) |
Notes
- ^ Including the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- ^ a b c Although the United bid was selected on 13 June 2018, the automatic berths allocated to the hosts were not confirmed until a decision by the FIFA Council on 14 February 2023.[5]
Qualification process
On 9 May 2017, the FIFA Council approved the slot allocation scheme for the new 48-team final format.[4]
Summary of qualification
| |||||||||
| Confederation | Direct slots | Play-off slots | Teams started | Teams eliminated | Teams can still qualify | Teams qualified | Qualifying start date | Qualifying next match date | Qualifying end date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC | 8 | 1 | 46 | 15 | 31 | 0 | 12 October 2023 | 6 June 2024 | November 2025 |
| CAF | 9 | 1 | 53 | 0 | 53 | 0 | 15 November 2023 | 5 June 2024 | November 2025 |
| CONCACAF | 3+3 | 2 | 32+3 | 2 | 30 | 0+3 | 22 March 2024 | 5 June 2024 | November 2025 |
| CONMEBOL | 6 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 September 2023 | September 2024 | September 2025 |
| OFC | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 | September 2024 | September 2024 | March 2025 |
| UEFA | 16 | 0 | 55 | 0 | 55 | 0 | 21 March 2025 | 21 March 2025 | 31 March 2026 |
| Play-offs | 2 | — | (6) | 0 | (2) | 0 | March 2026 | March 2026 | March 2026 |
| Total | 45+3 | 6 | 207+3 | 17 | 190 | 0+3 | 7 September 2023 | 5 June 2024 | March 2026 |
Withdrawals
Eritrea withdrew from qualification prior to playing any matches.[6][7]
Format
Each confederation is responsible for its own qualification tournament, which will consist of at least one round of competition using the following formats (Regulations Article 11.3):[8]
- A league format in which each team in a group plays all other teams in their group twice – once at home and once away.
- A single round-robin format in which each team in a group plays all other teams in their group once, with the venues either drawn at random or assigned by the confederation with the agreement of the playing associations.
- A knockout format in which each team in a round plays one other team over two legs – once at home and once away.
- With FIFA's permission, a tournament held in one of the participating nations or in neutral territory.
- With FIFA's permission, a single-leg knockout format.
Tiebreakers
In the two round-robin formats, the tiebreaker criteria are as follows (Regulations Article 11.5):[8]
- Greatest number of points obtained in all group matches (3 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss)
- Greatest goal differential in all group matches
- Most goals scored in all group matches
Should two or more teams still have equal rank after criteria 1–3 are applied, then the following criteria are used:
- Greatest number of points obtained in all matches amongst the concerned teams
- Greatest goal differential in all matches amongst the concerned teams
- Most goals scored in all matches amongst the concerned teams
- Most goals scored away from home in all matches amongst the concerned teams
- The best team conduct score using the following table:
Only one score will be applied to any player or team official in any match, e.g. a player who receives a second yellow card will only have –3 points applied and not –4 (–1 for the first and –3 for the second).
- First yellow card: –1 point
- Second yellow card/indirect red card: –3 points
- Direct red card: –4 points
- Yellow card and direct red card: –5 points
- Drawing of lots by FIFA
If the tournament is being held in a single host nation or in neutral territory, then criterion 7 will not be applied (Regulations Article 11.6).[8]
In the home-and-away knockout format, the team scoring more goals on aggregate wins the tie and advances. If the aggregate score is level, then 30 minutes of extra time will be played. If the score is still level at the end of extra time, the away goals rule will not be applied and the winners will be decided by a penalty shoot-out (Regulations Article 11.9).[8] In the single-leg knockout format, the team scoring more goals in a single match wins and advances. If the teams are tied after regulation, then extra time will be played, followed by a penalty shoot-out if the score is still level (Regulations Article 11.10).[8]
Confederation qualification
AFC
On 1 August 2022, the Asian Football Confederation Executive Committee approved the qualification format for Asia's road to the 2026 World Cup, as well as the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, in preparation for the eight direct spots and the single intercontinental play-off slot allocated to the AFC by FIFA following the expansion of the FIFA World Cup to 48 teams.[9] The draw for the first round was held on 27 July 2023 at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[10] The draw for the second round took place two hours later.
The qualification structure is as follows:
- First round: Twenty teams (ranked 27–46) played home-and-away over two legs.[11] The ten winners advanced to the second round.
- Second round: Thirty-six teams (those ranked 1–26 and the ten first-round winners) were divided into nine groups of four teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The eighteen group winners and group runners-up advance to the third round.
- Third round: The eighteen teams that advance from the second round will be divided into three groups of six teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The top two teams of each group will qualify for the World Cup, while the third-placed and fourth-placed teams of each group will advance to the fourth round.
- Fourth round: The six teams that advance from the third round will be divided into two groups of three teams each to play a single round-robin. The winners will qualify for the World Cup.
- Fifth round: The fourth round group runners-up will compete in a two-legged play-off tie to determine the Asian representation at the inter-confederation play-offs.
Sri Lanka were suspended in January 2023[12] and they did not appear in the draw information the AFC released in early July.[13] However, they were re-added with the condition that their federation hold elections at least ten days before qualification starts.[14]
