The final matches of the September international break were played on Tuesday, with teams across every confederation fighting for a spot at the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to take place next summer in North America. With the latest results in, 18 nations have now clinched their place.
Five teams sealed qualification during this window alone. Three of them came from South America, where the final two matchdays of the qualifiers were played, confirming all six automatic spots from the region. Uruguay, Paraguay, and Colombia joined Argentina, Brazil, and Ecuador as South America’s representatives at next year’s tournament.
Uruguay secured their qualification with a dominant 3–0 win over Peru at home on Thursday, allowing them to travel to Chile without added pressure. Paraguay earned their spot thanks to a draw against Ecuador and an away win over Peru. Colombia showcased their attacking firepower with a pair of high-scoring wins: 3–0 against Bolivia and 6–3 over Venezuela.
There were also major developments in Africa. Two nations officially punched their tickets during this window. Morocco locked up the top spot in Group E — and a direct World Cup berth — with wins over Niger and Zambia.
Darwin Nunez’s Uruguay secured a spot in the 2026 World Cup.
Tunisia did the same in Group H. Despite two matchdays still remaining in this round of qualifiers, their victories over Liberia and Equatorial Guinea gave them an unassailable lead atop the standings, making them the second African team to qualify for the 2026 tournament.
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The 18 teams already qualified for the World Cup 2026
Five of the six global confederations now have at least one team qualified for the World Cup. The only exception is Europe, where teams are still in the early stages of qualifying after wrapping up the UEFA Nations League this summer.
The first three teams to qualify were, of course, the 2026 hosts. United States, Mexico, and Canada are the initial representatives from Concacaf. From South America, the six automatic qualifiers are Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Colombia.
Asia’s direct qualifiers are also set: Australia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. The latter two are currently the only confirmed debutants for the next World Cup. Oceania will be represented by New Zealand, while Africa’s confirmed teams are Tunisia and Morocco.
Which teams could qualify for the World Cup soon?
Two more international breaks are scheduled for 2025 — in October and November — during which several decisive World Cup qualifying matches will take place. In Africa, the final matchdays will be played, and the remaining seven direct qualifiers will be determined to join Tunisia and Morocco.
The top contenders in each group include Egypt, Senegal, South Africa, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Algeria, and Ghana. After that, the four best runners-up will compete in a mini-tournament to decide Africa’s representative in the intercontinental playoff. Bolivia (South America) and New Caledonia (Oceania) have already qualified for that tournament.
In Asia, the fourth round of qualifiers kicks off in October. Two groups of three teams will compete in a round-robin format: Group 1 features Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Oman; Group 2 includes Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia. The winner of each group will qualify directly for the World Cup, while the runners-up will face off for a spot in the intercontinental playoff.
In Concacaf, the October and November windows will determine the winners of each of the three final groups — all of whom will qualify directly for the World Cup. The best two runners-up will advance to the intercontinental playoff.
In Europe, qualifying is shorter than in other regions, so some teams could secure their spots soon. France, Spain, Portugal, Norway, and England appear to be on the fast track to qualification.
