The countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has entered its final days following the confirmation of all 48 participating nations for football’s biggest tournament.
DR Congo and Iraq secured the final qualification spots, completing the lineup for the competition that will be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
The tournament marks a significant change in the history of the World Cup, with an expanded format, more teams, additional matches and three host nations sharing the event for the first time.
Expanded format
The 2026 edition will be the largest World Cup ever staged, with 48 teams competing compared to the 32 nations that featured in Qatar four years ago.
A total of 104 matches will be played across 16 cities, 11 in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada, over a record 39-day period.
The participating teams will be divided into 12 groups of four, and the top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will progress to the knockout rounds.
The new format introduces a Round of 32, meaning the eventual champions will have to navigate five knockout matches after the group stage.
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Mexico and South Africa will meet in the opening game at the Estadio Azteca on June 11, while the final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
Challenging schedule across time zones
With matches spread across North America, scheduling will present a unique challenge for supporters and broadcasters.
Games will be played across four time zones, creating 13 different kick-off windows throughout the tournament.
Several fixtures will begin after midnight for viewers in Europe, while some matches in cities such as San Francisco, Vancouver and Guadalajara are scheduled for early morning viewing hours in the United Kingdom.
Despite the varied schedule, the most common group-stage kick-off time remains 20:00 BST.
Favourites for the trophy
European champions Spain head into the tournament as one of the leading contenders after an impressive qualification campaign.
The Spaniards boast a squad featuring Pedri, Fabian Ruiz, Martin Zubimendi, Rodri and Lamine Yamal.
England will also arrive with expectations after qualifying with a perfect record under Thomas Tuchel, as the squad includes key players such as Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.
France remain among the strongest challengers, with Didier Deschamps able to call upon Bradley Barcola, Michael Olise, Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.
Defending champions Argentina will attempt to retain the trophy after finishing top of the South American qualifying standings.
The Albiceleste continue to build on a successful period that has delivered two Copa America titles and the 2022 World Cup crown.
Brazil, despite a difficult qualifying campaign by their standards, remain among the teams expected to challenge for the title.
Teams capable of causing surprises
Several nations outside the traditional favourites could make a deep run at the tournament.
Norway return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998 after winning all eight of their qualifying matches. Erling Haaland scored 16 goals during the campaign and will be central to their hopes.
Morocco, runners-up at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), arrive after winning every qualifying game and remain one of Africa’s strongest sides.
Egypt will rely heavily on Mohamed Salah as they seek to progress from a group containing Belgium, New Zealand and Iran.
Japan also enter the tournament in strong form after conceding only three goals in 16 qualifying matches, while Colombia impressed in South American qualifying with victories over both Brazil and Argentina.
Among the host nations, Canada could emerge as a surprise package despite never winning a World Cup finals match.
Four nations make historic debuts
The expanded format has created opportunities for four countries to appear at the World Cup for the first time.
Curacao will become the smallest nation ever to participate in the tournament. The Caribbean island, with a population of just over 150,000, has been drawn alongside Germany, Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Group E.
Cabo Verde also secured a first-ever World Cup berth after finishing ahead of Cameroon in qualifying. The island nation will face Spain, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group H.
Two debutants will represent Asia.
Uzbekistan ended a long wait for qualification and will look to make an impact with players such as Abdukodir Khusanov and Eldor Shomurodov in their ranks. They have been drawn in a group featuring Portugal, Colombia and DR Congo.
Jordan complete the list of newcomers after a strong qualifying campaign. Ranked 64th in the world, they face Argentina, Algeria and Austria in Group J.
Global stage set for historic tournament
From a record 48-team field to the introduction of a new knockout round and the participation of four debutant nations, the 2026 World Cup is set to redefine the scale of football’s flagship competition.
With the qualification process concluded and squads finalised, attention now turns to North America, where the race to become world champions will begin on June 11.
