Post by : Maya Rahman

The race for qualification in the 2026 FIFA World Cup has entered a pivotal phase. With 48 spots available, 29 have already been taken, leaving numerous teams vying for their chance to compete in one of the largest tournaments ever. The November international matches are set to play a crucial role in determining which nations will join the World Cup ranks. Notably, this is an essential time for European teams, as several have high chances of securing their spots this week.

Confirmed Qualified Teams for 2026

Set to be the most extensive World Cup, the tournament will span Canada, Mexico, and the USA as hosts, who have automatically qualified.

In Asia, eight nations including Australia, Iran, and Japan have booked their tickets.
Nine teams from Africa have made the cut: Algeria, Cape Verde, and Morocco among them.
Europe has secured two qualifiers so far: England and France.
From Oceania, New Zealand is in, while six teams including Argentina and Brazil have qualified from South America.
No teams from North and Central America (Concacaf) have qualified yet besides the hosts.

Potential November Qualifiers

The upcoming matches in November present a crucial opportunity for various countries to confirm their spots in the tournament.

Austria: Austria aims for their first qualification since 1998; they must win against Cyprus on November 15 while hoping Bosnia and Herzegovina loses to Romania.

Belgium: A win against Kazakhstan on November 15 would secure Belgium's place, making it their fourth consecutive World Cup.

Honduras: Honduras needs to defeat Nicaragua on November 13 and depends on a draw between Costa Rica and Haiti to qualify.

Jamaica: To reach the World Cup for the first time since 1998, Jamaica must beat Trinidad and Tobago on November 13, hoping Bermuda defeats Curaçao.

Netherlands: The Netherlands can secure qualification by overcoming Poland on November 14, attempting to rebound from missing the 2002 and 2018 editions.

Norway: A win or draw against Estonia on November 13 will put Norway in the World Cup, with a draw also necessitating a Moldova win over Italy. Star player Erling Haaland could make his debut.

Portugal: Portugal has a chance to qualify with a win against Ireland on November 13; a draw may still suffice if Armenia draws against Hungary—potentially marking Cristiano Ronaldo's sixth tournament.

Spain: Spain must defeat Georgia on November 15 and rely on Türkiye not winning against Bulgaria.

Switzerland: A win or draw against Sweden on November 15 is needed for Switzerland, alongside needing favorable results from Slovenia—goals from Kosovo must align with their required outcome.

Understanding Regional Allocations

FIFA allocates 48 World Cup spots by region:

• Hosts (3): Canada, Mexico, USA

• Asia (8 places): Filled; one extra team to enter intercontinental playoff

• Africa (9 places): Group winners qualify; best runners-up enter playoffs

• Concacaf (3 places): Group winners qualify; runners-up go to playoffs

• Europe (16 places): Group winners qualify; others enter playoffs in March 2026

• Oceania (1 place): New Zealand qualified

• South America (6 places): All spots filled; Bolivia heads to playoff

• Intercontinental playoff (2 places): To be played in March 2026 in Mexico

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