2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Standings

<p>We’re just under a year out from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be held in the US, Canada and Mexico. This is the first time 48 teams will play for the Jules Rimet trophy, which means qualifying has been a unique beast, with each confederation going about it in a different manner.</p> <p>13 teams, including the three host nations, have already qualified, with a couple more South American teams on the verge as well.</p> <p>Here’s an update on where qualifying stands with each of the five confederations.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>AFC (Asia)</h2> <p>As most of you reading this probably know, the Socceroos have clinched a spot in the 2026 World Cup thanks to their-second place finish in Group C. They will be joined by five other automatic qualifiers.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Automatic qualifiers (group winners):</strong></p> <ol> <li>Iran</li> <li>South Korea</li> <li>Japan</li> </ol> <p><strong>Automatic qualifiers (group runners-up):</strong></p> <ol> <li>Uzbekistan</li> <li>Jordan</li> <li>Australia</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>There are still two (and maybe three) more places to fill in what’s called the 4th Round of qualifying.</p> <p>The three 3rd place teams in each group (<em>UAE, Iraq, Saudi Arabia</em>) and the three 4th place teams (<em>Qatar, Oman, Indonesia</em>) are drawn into two groups in a round-robin format.</p> <p>These games will take place in October 2025 and the two group winners advance to the World Cup.</p> <p>The two group runners-up will play a two-legged tie in November 2025, with the winner advancing to the Intercontinental playoffs (more on that later).</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>CAF (Africa)</h2> <p>This qualifying process is fairly simple. There are 9 groups, with each group winner automatically earning a trip to North America in 2026. We should know those winners in October 2025.</p> <p>The four best group runners-up will compete in a November playoff (two semi-finals and a final) to determine which team will advance to the Intercontinental playoffs.</p> <p>Group leaders at the moment are <em>Egypt, DR Congo, South Africa, Cape Verde, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Tunisia and Ghana.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>CONMEBOL (South America)</h2> <p>There has been very little change to South American qualifying. The 9 nations play each other twice and the top 6 teams automatically qualify for the World Cup. The team that finishes in 7th place will move on to the Intercontinental playoffs.</p> <p>With two rounds left, <strong>Argentina</strong>, <strong>Ecuador</strong> and <strong>Brazil</strong> have already qualified thanks to their points totals.</p> <p><em>Uruguay and Paraguay</em> can qualify with draws in their next matches and Colombia can qualify with a win.</p> <p><em>Venezuela or Bolivia</em> are the most likely playoff candidates.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>CONCACAF (North &amp; Central America)</h2> <p>As host nations, the three powerhouses of this confederation – <strong>Canada</strong>, <strong>Mexico</strong> and <strong>USA</strong> – are already in.</p> <p>But there are three more automatic spots available and two places in the Intercontinental playoffs at stake.</p> <p>By the end of June we will know which 12 teams will move on to Round 3, to be finished by November 2025.</p> <p>At that point there will be three groups of four teams, with each group winner making the World Cup. The two runners-up with the best records head to the Intercontinental playoffs.</p> <p><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/international-soccer/concacaf-gold-cup">CONCACAF Markets Available here</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>UEFA</h2> <p>A combination of the easiest and the hardest qualifying to explain.</p> <p>54 European nations (not including Russia, still suspended) are split into 12 groups of 4 or 5 teams which will finish in November of 2025. All 12 group winners advance to the World Cup. Sounds easy, right?</p> <p>After that, the final four places at the World Cup will be determined via the UEFA playoffs, to be played in March of 2026. There is no path to the World Cup through the Intercontinental playoffs.</p> <p>Here’s where it gets a little tricky if you’re not a European football expert.</p> <p>The UEFA playoff involves 16 teams: the 12 group runners-up plus the four best-ranked group winners from the UEFA Nations League (who did not finish in the top two in World Cup qualifying).</p> <p>This creates four routes, each with four teams featuring a semifinal and a final for a place at the World Cup.</p> <p>Got it?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>OFC (Oceania)</h2> <p>Thanks to the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams, Oceania received direct qualification for the first time in history.</p> <p>All 11 members – New Zealand and the Pacific Islands – started the qualification process in October of 2024.</p> <p><strong>New Zealand</strong> earned the automatic bid by beating New Caledonia in the final. New Caledonia, however, is still alive with a berth in the Intercontinental playoffs.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Intercontinental Playoffs</h2> <p>These will be held in March 2026 and will determine the final two qualifiers for the World Cup.</p> <p>6 nations will take part and only UEFA does not have a representative. Each of the five confederations will have one country in the playoffs, with the exception of CONCACAF (the host nation) which has a second representative.</p> <ul> <li>1 AFC</li> <li>1 CAF</li> <li>1 CONMEBOL</li> <li>2 CONCACAF</li> <li>1 OFC</li> </ul> <p>The two nations with the best FIFA World Ranking will be seeded and go straight into one of the two finals.</p> <p>The four other countries will be drawn into semifinals, with the winners meeting the two seeded teams for the final World Cup places.</p> <p>The Intercontinental playoffs will be held in one of the World Cup host nations.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>2026 FIFA World Cup Outright Markets</h2>