2026 World Cup: Who has qualified and who can make it?

48 teams will participate in the 2026 World Cup ; 46 of those will qualify directly; the other two will be via the six -team intercontinental playoff.

Three co-hosts — Canada , Mexico , United States — are in; - Iran , Japan , Jordan , South Korea and Uzbekistan are in after qualifying through the Asian (AFC) confederation.

Australia is on the verge of booking its spot if they don't lose big to Saudi Arabia .

At the halfway point of the qualification phase, there are plenty of top teams in control of their respective groups.

The 54 teams (now reduced to 52 ) return to action in September .

The nine group winners will advance directly to the World Cup , and the four best second -place teams will fight for an intercontinental playoff spot.

The AFC has two more rounds for the third- and fourth -placed teams.

Suriname currently leads with El Salvador and Puerto Rico on its heels.

In Group E, Guatemala is the surprise side and will be joining Jamaica as the two teams that move on.

The 11 -team qualifying tournament from this region concluded in March .