The image for the FIFA World Cup 2026 turned loads clearer on Tuesday when quite a few prime groups throughout the continents booked their place at soccer’s world showpiece.
The variety of confirmed groups has now risen to 28 following the most recent spherical of qualifiers, with one other 20 nonetheless to be crammed by varied confederational playoffs, intercontinental playoffs, and – in Europe’s case – the primary qualifying stage, which nonetheless must be accomplished.
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England, South Africa and Qatar had been among the many headline names to guide their place on the event on Tuesday.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a take a look at the event that the nations world wide are all vying to achieve.
When and the place is the FIFA World Cup 2026?
The event is being staged throughout america, Canada and Mexico. The primary match can be performed in Mexico Metropolis on June 11, whereas the ultimate can be staged in New Jersey, US, on July 19.
As a result of growth of the event – from 32 groups to 48 – the 39-day occasion is the longest in its historical past.
When will we all know all of the groups for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
FIFA’s intercontinental playoffs would be the final probability saloon for groups world wide to achieve subsequent summer time’s occasion. The finale of that route can be on March 31, 2026, lower than three months earlier than the World Cup kicks off. The European qualification course of runs till March, however many of the remaining confederations can have completed their continental qualification processes lengthy earlier than then.
What are the FIFA intercontinental playoffs?
As soon as the respective confederations end their qualification course of, FIFA gives two last spots to be contested by the best-placed workforce from every of the six continental routes that haven’t already certified.
When is the draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Though we is not going to know the total listing of groups for the occasion till the tip of March 2026, the draw will happen on December 5, 2025.
28/48 ✅@Aramco | #WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/eaksBnrBYM
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) October 14, 2025
The place will the draw be held for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
The draw will happen within the Kennedy Middle in Washington, DC. US President Donald Trump confirmed the placement whereas talking within the Oval Workplace on the White Home, flanked by Vice President JD Vance and FIFA boss Gianni Infantino. He didn’t rule out overseeing the draw itself.
What is going to the format be for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
With the growth to 48 groups, the World Cup will now function 12 four-team teams. That in flip will result in a spherical of 32, an additional knockout spherical to earlier editions.
Certainly, the event has doubled in measurement because it was staged within the US in 1994, when solely 24 groups competed.
Can Trump transfer video games on the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Trump has been fairly clear and constant on the staging of video games inside the US, saying he will move the games from any cities that he deems to be unsafe.
On September 26, when Trump was requested about video games being moved, he warned: “Properly, that’s an attention-grabbing query … however we’re going to verify they’re secure. [Seattle and San Francisco are] run by radical left lunatics who don’t know what they’re doing.”
How will the FIFA World Cup 2026 recreation staging be cut up between the hosts?
The US will stage video games in 11 cities: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas Metropolis, Los Angeles, Miami, New Jersey/New York (joint host area), Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Space and Seattle.
Canada will host 13 video games in complete, cut up between Toronto and Vancouver. Mexico will even get 13 video games, which can be performed in Mexico Metropolis, Guadalajara and Monterrey.
The place will the FIFA World Cup 2026 last be staged?
The US will stage the ultimate, which can be performed at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Who’re the defending FIFA World Cup champions?
Argentina gained the final version of the FIFA World Cup, beating France within the last of Qatar 2022.
With the sport stage at 3-3 after additional time, Argentina gained the penalty shootout 4-2.
Will the climate have an effect on video games on the FIFA World Cup 2026?
The 2025 FIFA Membership World Cup was staged within the US, and the warmth and ensuing thunderstorms proved to be an enormous downside for the event.
Three stadiums – in Arlington, Atlanta and Houston – have retractable roofs which might be anticipated to be closed as a result of summer time warmth, whereas Inglewood and Vancouver have fastened roofs.
Which groups have already certified for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
After the most recent spherical of qualifying matches, here’s a breakdown of the confirmed contenders from every of the six areas:
Hosts: Canada, Mexico, USA
Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
Europe: England
Oceania: New Zealand
South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
Which groups can nonetheless qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Africa: Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Nigeria will play off for the ultimate intercontinental spot from the continent. The Confederation of African Soccer (CAF) has introduced November 13 for the primary matches, adopted by a deciding match three days later.
Asia: UAE and Iraq will vie for one intercontinental playoffs spot after they compete over two legs within the last stage of the Asian Soccer Confederation (AFC) qualifiers on November 13 and 18.
Europe: 53 of the 54 European groups vying for 16 qualification spots can nonetheless affirm their berths, alongside England, as their first-round matches will run till November 18. European qualification will run till March, simply earlier than the intercontinental playoffs start.
North, Central America and the Caribbean: Three spots stay up for grabs, given the World Cup hosts take up three spots already. Bermuda, Costa Rica, Curacao, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago have all superior to the third spherical, with the winners to be determined by November 18. The three second-placed groups from every group will then combat for the intercontinental playoffs spot.
Oceania: New Caledonia have certified for the intercontinental playoffs.
South America: Bolivia have certified for the intercontinental playoffs, having missed out on one of many six automated qualifying positions.
