FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers Announced
Expanded Tournament to Feature 48 Teams
The qualification process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been announced, with 48 teams set to compete for a spot in the expanded tournament. For the first time, Oceania will be guaranteed a qualifying spot, while UEFA will have the largest allocation with 16 teams.
Qualification Format
The qualifying format has been divided as follows:
- AFC (Asia): 8 teams
- CAF (Africa): 9 teams
- CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean): 6 teams
- CONMEBOL (South America): 6 teams
- OFC (Oceania): 1 team
- UEFA (Europe): 16 teams
The European qualifiers will begin in March 2025, with teams drawn into groups of five. The top two teams from each group will qualify directly for the World Cup, while the third-placed teams will enter a playoff round for a chance to reach the tournament.
48-Team Tournament
The expanded 48-team tournament will take place in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The host cities and game dates have yet to be announced.
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