Everything You Need To Know About the 2026 World Cup Qualifying

It feels like just yesterday that Messi, draped in a traditional Qatari "Bisht," lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy in a moment for the ages. But believe it or not, over 700 days have passed since that iconic scene. Now, as 2025 approaches, the spotlight is shifting towards the next big stage—the 2026 World Cup, set to take place across the USA, Mexico, and Canada.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the best World Cup in history, with a record 48 teams participating in the competition. This highly anticipated tournament marks the return of the World Cup to North America after 32 years—the last time being in 1994, when the USA played host and helped transform the sport’s image in America. Since then, soccer’s popularity has soared in both the USA and Canada, and FIFA is hoping that the 2026 edition will spark a similar legacy for a new generation of fans. 

With record-breaking viewership expected, the stakes are high, and qualifying for this expanded tournament could bring serious rewards for teams. But the road to qualification is no easy feat—it’s a challenging path that’s as grueling as it is rewarding. As we move closer to 2026, here’s everything you need to know about the path to the world’s most anticipated sporting event. 

UEFA – Europe  

Qualification for the 2026 World Cup still hasn’t begun for UEFA nations. However, the first qualifying matches for the World Cup will begin from March 2025. The confederation's countries will be drawn into 12 groups of four or five teams, with each side facing their group opponents home and away. Having said that, the groups are still a mystery. Fans won’t have to wait much longer, though—the UEFA qualifying group stage draw is set for 13th December 2024, in Switzerland, where we’ll finally find out who faces who on the road to the 2026 World Cup. 

Fixtures will be played from March to December 2025 and the 12 group winners will automatically qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, it’s here where it gets tricky. The runners-up of each group will enter a play-off round, which also includes four other countries based on their Nations League performances. These 16 nations will be drawn in four knockout paths, with the winner of each path securing a place in the expanded FIFA World Cup. So, in total, 16 nations from UEFA will qualify for the 2026 World Cup. 

CONMEBOL – South America 

Unlike UEFA, CONMEBOL has already kicked off its 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. South American teams started their journey back in September 2023, with all ten nations competing in a single league format. Each team will play 18 matches, facing every other side both home and away. At the end of the campaign, the top six teams automatically secure their spots in the World Cup, while the seventh-place finisher heads to the inter-confederation play-off. These play-offs involve six teams—two from CONCACAF and one from each confederation, except UEFA. The final CONMEBOL qualifying matches will wrap up in September 2025. 

CONCACAF – North America 

This time the CONCACAF qualifying is a little different, as only three countries have qualified for the 2026 World Cup – those being USA, Mexico and Canada. So, the CONCACAF qualification will happen without three of its best football playing nations. Having said that, the qualifying is already underway, with the six group winners and runners-up reaching the third-round. The CONCACAF third qualification round will consist of 12 sides, which will be divided into three groups of four. Group winners from each group will secure automatic qualification, while the two-best performing second-placed nations will have to participate in the aforementioned inter-confederation play-offs. The third-round matches will begin in September 2025. CONCACAF has a total of three direct qualification spots for the 2026 World Cup, but with the USA, Mexico, and Canada automatically in as hosts, that brings the region's total to six teams in the tournament. 

CAF – Africa  

With the first round having kicked off in November 2023, CAF World Cup qualifying is up and underway. The CAF World Cup qualifying consists of nine groups of six teams, with the winners of each group automatically qualifying for the tournament in North America. The final group stage matches will wrap up by October 2025, but it’s not over for the runners-up. The four best second-place finishers will have a shot at qualification through a semifinal and final, set for November 2025. The winner of that final will secure a spot in the inter-confederation playoffs, where they’ll fight for a chance to make it to North America. 

AFC – Asia  

The 2026 World Cup qualifying journey kicked off on October 12, 2023, with an AFC match, and let’s just say, it’s going to be a long and intense ride! AFC qualification is the most grueling of all, stretching over five rounds. The first round saw 20 of the lowest-ranked teams battle it out in two-legged play-offs, with 10 winners moving on to the second round. The second round is where the real competition heats up. The second-round was made up of nine groups of four teams, with each nation playing each other home and away. Those fixtures concluded in June 2024, with the top two nations from each group qualifying for the third round.  

In the third round, the remaining teams are divided into three groups of six. The top two from each group earn an automatic spot at the 2026 World Cup. But for the second and third-placed teams, the fight isn’t over yet—they head to the fourth round, split into two groups of three. The group winners here qualify for the World Cup, while the second-placed teams face off in the fifth round – a two-legged play-off. But even if they win, they’ll only secure a chance in the inter-confederation play-offs. In the end, eight AFC nations will make it to the 2026 World Cup, but if an Asian team manages to come through the inter-confederation play-offs, that number could rise to nine. 

OFC – Oceania  

The first round of OFC qualifying kicked off with the confederation's four lowest-ranked teams battling it out for a spot in the next stage. After a semi-final and final, Samoa emerged victorious and secured their place in the second round. The second-round features two groups of four teams, with each nation playing six matches in total. Once those games are wrapped up, the top two teams from each group will advance to the third round. 

In the third round, the stakes get even higher. Only one team will earn automatic qualification, and that’s by winning both the semi-final and final. The runner-up will still have a chance, but they’ll drop into the inter-confederation play-offs for another shot at a World Cup spot. The OFC World Cup Qualification third-round is scheduled for March 2025. 

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