Will Antoine Griezmann make it to the 2026 World Cup with France? We analyze statistics, current events, and his role with Les Bleus on their way to the most important tournament on the planet.
Home
»
World Cup 2026
»
HOW WILL QUALIFICATION FOR THE 2026 WORLD CUP WORK?
The road to the 2026 World Cup will be longer, more exciting, and more diverse than ever. With the expansion to 48 teams, FIFA has completely redesigned the qualifying system, giving more opportunities to teams from every continent. Instead of the traditional 32 teams, this time we'll see almost 50 different flags in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the three host countries. But how will the spots be allocated? What format will each region use? And who are the favorites? In this article, we explain everything, with interesting facts, statistics, and the passionate touch that every football fan understands.
The New Global Qualifying Format
The 2026 World Cup will mark a turning point in football history. It will be the first with 48 teams and three host countries, which implies significant adjustments to the qualification process. The United States, Mexico, and Canada already have their places secured as hosts, so CONCACAF will have three spots already filled. The remaining 45 places will be decided through qualifiers in the six FIFA-affiliated confederations.
FIFA has designed a more inclusive system that seeks to balance global representation. Africa, Asia, and the Americas will see an increase in their number of places, while Europe will maintain its dominance with the largest number of direct qualification spots.
The objective is clear: to allow more countries to experience a World Cup and for the tournament to reflect the diversity of world football.
Official distribution of slots by continent
Europe (UEFA): 16 slots.
Africa (CAF): 9 slots.
Asia (AFC): 8 slots.
South America (CONMEBOL): 6 slots.
North America and Central America (Concacaf): 6 slots (3 direct + 3 through qualifiers).
How the Qualifying Process Will Work in Each Continent
Each confederation will have its own qualifying system, adapted to its number of national teams and competitive level. Although the formats vary, they all share the same objective: to choose the best representatives for the 2026 World Cup. Below, we explain how each region will work and which teams are considered favorites.
Europe (UEFA): The Continent with the Most Places
Europe will have 16 spots, two more than in Qatar 2022. The qualifiers will maintain their classic format, with groups of five or six teams. The group winners will qualify directly, and the best runners-up will play in a playoff. Powerhouses like France, England, Germany, Spain, and Portugal shouldn't have any trouble securing their spots, but the fight for the last places promises to be fierce, with teams like Ukraine, Scotland, and Norway lurking.
Number of spots: 16.
Start of the process: 2025.
Favorites: France, England, Germany, Spain, Italy.
South America (CONMEBOL): round-robin format
South America will maintain its classic single-league system: all teams play each other twice, once at home and once away. With 10 participating teams and 6 direct qualification spots plus one for the playoffs, almost two-thirds of the continent will be at the World Cup. This opens the door for teams like Venezuela and Paraguay, who could take advantage of the increased number of qualifying spots. Argentina and Brazil lead the qualifiers, followed by Uruguay, Colombia, and Ecuador, while Chile and Peru dream of returning to the World Cup.
Number of places: 6 direct + 1 playoff.
Total matches: 18 per team.
Favorites: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador.
Asia (AFC): more places, more competition
Asia goes from having 4.5 places to 8 direct plus one for the playoff, which makes its qualifying process one of the most attractive. The process consists of several rounds, beginning with a preliminary phase between the lowest-ranked FIFA teams. The teams are then grouped into groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing. Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Australia are the clear favorites, but surprises from emerging nations like Uzbekistan or Jordan cannot be ruled out.
Number of places: 8 direct + 1 playoff.
Strong contenders: Japan, South Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Australia.
Potential surprises: Qatar, Uzbekistan, Iraq.
Africa (CAF): the fastest growing continent
Africa will have 9 direct places and one playoff place. The tournament will consist of a group stage with nine groups, the winners of which will qualify directly. The four best runners-up will compete in a mini-playoff to determine the intercontinental play-off spot. Morocco, a semifinalist at Qatar 2022, leads a golden generation, while Senegal, Egypt, Nigeria, and Cameroon are also vying for the spotlight. But beware: countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, or Cape Verde could spring a surprise.
Number of places: 9 direct + 1 playoff.
Favorites: Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon.
Possible debutants: Mali, Gabon, Tanzania.
Concacaf and Oceania: the hosts and new opportunities
In Concacaf, three spots are already taken by the hosts (United States, Mexico, and Canada). The three remaining spots will be decided among the other teams in the region. Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica, and Honduras are considered contenders, but El Salvador and Guatemala could also be in the running. In Oceania, there will be a direct berth for the first time, practically guaranteeing New Zealand's return to the World Cup.
Concacaf: 6 places (3 direct + 3 in qualifiers).
Oceania: 1 direct berth for the first time.
Possible qualifiers: Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica, New Zealand.
Intercontinental playoff
The 2026 World Cup intercontinental playoff will also have a revamped format. Six teams will participate: one from each confederation (except Europe) and one additional team from the host confederation (Concacaf). The two highest-ranked teams in the FIFA rankings will receive a bye to the semifinals, while the other four will compete in a first knockout round. The winners of these matches will then compete for the final two spots in the World Cup.
Interesting facts, statistics, and what to expect
The new qualifying process for the 2026 World Cup will bring with it a flood of unprecedented figures. For the first time, more than 210 national teams will compete for a place in the final tournament. This means almost 1,000 qualifying matches in total, an absolute record in the history of international football. Furthermore, with the expansion of the number of slots, at least 10 teams are expected to make their World Cup debut, something that hasn't happened since 1930.
Interesting facts about the road to 2026
It will be the first World Cup with three host countries and three automatic qualifications.
More than 5 million tickets could be sold for the matches.
It is estimated that there will be more than 11 billion dollars in global revenue.
At least 12 debutant teams could participate.
There will be more than 100 matches televised simultaneously during the knockout stages.
Furthermore, the new structure will make the qualifiers more intense and competitive. Teams that previously missed out by a single point will now have a real chance of reaching the World Cup. There will also be greater representation from all corners of the globe, reinforcing the idea that football, more than a sport, is a universal language.
So get ready: the road to the 2026 World Cup has already begun, and it promises to be an emotional rollercoaster. Every goal, every point, and every miracle in the qualifiers will count. Because more than just qualification, what's at stake is the dream of millions of fans who hope to see their national team on football's biggest stage.
YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED
