The 2026 FIFA World Cup is one of the world’s most anticipated international sporting events. Only a 13-team tournament when it launched in 1930, the World Cup field has expanded over the years, reaching 32 teams in 1998. The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams. It will also be the first World Cup jointly hosted by three nations: the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Lionel Messi led Argentina to championship glory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which concluded on December 18. Qualification for the next World Cup began less than a year later with a series of matches in the CONMEBOL zone. More than 200 countries from six zones are vying to qualify for the World Cup. As of April 1, seven countries, including the three hosts, have already qualified for the 48-team tournament.
Here’s a look at those seven teams, how they qualified, and their past performance in the FIFA World Cup.
1. United States
The US, Mexico, and Canada announced their intention to jointly host the World Cup in April 2017. More than a year later, in June 2018 at the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow, members voted 134-65 in favor of the United 2026 bid over Morocco. This will be the US’ first time co-hosting the tournament. Previously, it hosted the 1994 World Cup. Matches will be played in 16 cities, 11 of which are in the US. Tournament venues include MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Lumen Field in Seattle, and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
As a host, the US, along with Mexico and Canada, receive automatic berths into the 48-team competition. This will mark the US’ 12th appearance in the World Cup. Its best result was a semifinal appearance in 1930, but that event featured a four-team knockout bracket as opposed to a round of 16 or quarterfinals. The US reached the quarterfinals in 2002 after a round of 16 win over Mexico and have advanced to the round of 16 five times, including when it hosted the World Cup in 1994.
2. Mexico
Mexico is making its 18th appearance in the World Cup and, with the automatic berth, has now qualified for each of the last nine tournaments. The country has never won the World Cup, but reached the quarter-finals in 1970 and 1986, the two years that they hosted the quadrennial event. Mexico failed to advance past the Group Stage in 2022, finishing third in Group C behind Poland and eventual champion Argentina.
Three Mexican venues—Estadio Banorte in Mexico City, Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, and Estadio Akron in Guadalajara—will host matches at the 2026 World Cup.
3. Canada
Canada qualified for the World Cup for just the second time in its history in 2022, but failed to get out of the Group Stage. The country previously qualified in 1986. Canada has improved considerably since 2016, when it finished the year No. 117 in the FIFA world rankings. It moved up to No. 72 by 2020, was 53rd after the 2022 World Cup, and finished 2024 at No. 31.
In 2026, Canada will play its Group Stage matches at BMO Field in Toronto and BC Place in Vancouver. Both venues will also host a Round of 32 match, and BC Place will host a Round of 16 match.
4. Japan
Outside of the three hosts, Japan was the first to earn a spot in the 2026 World Cup via qualification. It qualified on March 20 by securing first place in Group C of the AFC zone, which also included Australia, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Bahrain, and China. Kubo Takefusa and Kamada Daichi scored for Japan in its 2-0 first-place clinching match against Bahrain. As many as nine teams can qualify through the AFC.
Japan, which has now qualified for eight consecutive World Cups, has never advanced beyond the round of 16. It lost 3-1 in penalties after a 1-1 full-time draw against Croatia in the round of 16 in 2022 and was eliminated after a 3-2 loss to Belgium in the round of 16 in 2018.
5. New Zealand
New Zealand earned the OFC World Cup qualification spot on March 24 with a 3-0 win over New Caledonia, which had been seeking its first-ever World Cup appearance. With the win, New Zealand extended its OFC qualification unbeaten streak to 28 matches and earned its third World Cup appearance. New Zealand previously qualified in 2010 and 1982.
6. Iran
Iran was the second AFC nation to qualify after winning Group A on March 25. Inter Milan striker Mehdi Taremi scored twice, including the tying goal in the 83rd minute, in a 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan, giving the Middle East nation the point it needed to secure first place. It will play in its fourth consecutive World Cup and seventh overall.
Iran has yet to advance beyond the Group Stage at the World Cup. It finished third in Group B, behind England and the US, in 2022.
7. Argentina
Argentina, the defending champions and World Cup winners in 1986 and 1978, qualified for the 19th time by securing a top-six spot in CONMEBOL qualification on March 25. The country secured its spot with an impressive 4-1 win over Brazil and Uruguay’s 0-0 draw against Bolivia on the same day.