Road to 2026: Eleven nations punch tickets to historic World Cup (Full list)

By Femi Fabunmi

Excitement continues to build up ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as eleven countries have now confirmed their places at the prestigious tournament.

With qualifying matches progressing across continents, more teams are steadily booking their tickets to the first-ever 48-team World Cup, set to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Among the latest teams to join the growing list of qualified nations is Australia, who earned their spot following a 2-1 comeback victory over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah.

The Socceroos had earlier defeated Japan 1-0 and needed to avoid a loss by five goals or more in their final group match. Their win not only met that requirement but also marked their first automatic World Cup qualification in 12 years. It will be Australia’s sixth consecutive appearance at the global tournament.

Saudi Arabia had taken an early lead in the 19th minute through Abdulrahman Al-Aboud.

However, Australia responded with composure and determination. Connor Metcalfe leveled the score, while Mitch Duke netted the winner, sealing the team’s passage to the next World Cup.

In addition to Australia, Jordan and Uzbekistan also secured qualification during this round of fixtures, further shaping the tournament lineup. Earlier, traditional football powerhouses such as Argentina, Japan, Iran, and New Zealand had already confirmed their spots.

Co-hosts United States, Canada, and Mexico automatically qualified, as per FIFA regulations for host nations.

Here is the full list of countries that have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup so far:

1. Argentina

2. Japan

3. Iran

4. New Zealand

5. Jordan

6. Uzbekistan

7. Australia

8. United States (host)

9. Canada (host)

10. Mexico (host)

As qualification matches continue across Africa, Europe, South America, Asia, and CONCACAF, fans around the globe are keeping a close eye on who will join the race for football’s biggest prize. With more spots up for grabs, national teams are giving their all to be part of what promises to be a groundbreaking edition of the World Cup in 2026.