World Cup 2026: 16 Countries Already Qualified for the Finals

On Thursday, after the penultimate matchday of the South American qualifiers, Uruguay, Colombia, and Paraguay secured their tickets for the tournament.

Uruguay and Colombia both won 3-0, while Paraguay booked their place with a 0-0 draw. They now join Argentina, Brazil, and Ecuador, who had already qualified from the CONMEBOL zone.

The 2026 World Cup will feature a record 48 teams and will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, who are automatically qualified as host nations.

In Asia and Oceania, several nations have also booked their spots: Japan, New Zealand, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, and Australia.

In total, 43 teams will qualify through continental competitions, while the last two spots will be decided in the intercontinental playoffs, scheduled for March 2026 and contested between six nations from different confederations.