The 2026 FIFA World Cup is on the horizon, slated to unfold in North America with an augmented roster. The United States, Canada, and Mexico are set to host and actively engage in the 23rd iteration of the globe's most acclaimed tournament.
On September 7, 2023, the qualification phase kicked off with a trio of matches in the CONMEBOL zone. On that very day, the inaugural goal of the qualification series was scored by the Colombian standout, Rafael Santos Borré.
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FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualification
March 30, 2017, witnessed the Bureau of the FIFA Council, comprising the FIFA president and the leaders of each of the six confederations, proffering a proposal for the slot allocation in the impending 2026 FIFA World Cup. This proposition awaited validation by the FIFA Council.
Anticipating the 67th FIFA Congress, on May 9, 2017, a mere two days prior, the FIFA Council convened in Manama, Bahrain, and approved the slot allocation. This encompasses a consequential intercontinental play-off tournament featuring six teams, entrusted with determining the final pair of FIFA World Cup spots. The FIFA Council greenlit the slot allocation blueprint for the novel 48-team final format.
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The endorsement of slot allocation marks a historic milestone, endowing the OFC with an assured entry into the grand tournament for the first time in the annals of FIFA World Cup history. The 2026 FIFA World Cup stands as a pioneering event wherein all six confederations secure a minimum of one guaranteed slot.
Here is a summary of the qualification process:
| Confederation | Direct slots | Play-off slots | Teams started | Teams eliminated | Teams can still qualify | Teams qualified | Qualifying start date | Qualifying next match date | Qualifying end date |
| AFC | 8 | 1 | 46 | 10 | 36 | 0 | 12 October 2023 | 21 November 2023 | November 2025 |
| CAF | 9 | 1 | 53 | 0 | 53 | 0 | 15 November 2023 | 17 November 2023 | 18 November 2025 |
| CONCACAF | 3+3 | 2 | 32+3 | 0 | 32 | 0+3 | March 2024 | March 2024 | November 2025 |
| CONMEBOL | 6 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 September 2023 | 21 November 2023 | September 2025 |
| OFC | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 | September 2024 | September 2024 | March 2025 |
| UEFA | 16 | 0 | 55 | 0 | 55 | 0 | March 2025 | March 2025 | March 2026 |
| Play-offs | 2 | — | -6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | March 2026 | March 2026 | March 2026 |
| Total | 45+3 | 6 | 207+3 | 10 | 197 | 0+3 | 7 September 2023 | 17 November 2023 | March 2026 |
FIFA World Cup Qualifiers 2026 Format
The framework for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers 2026 mandates each confederation to orchestrate its qualification tournament. The tournaments will embrace diverse formats, ensuring a dynamic and competitive path to the prestigious event:
League Format:
Teams within a group engage in a comprehensive league format, facing off against every other team in the group twice—once on their home turf and once on foreign soil.
Round-Robin Format:
A single round-robin setup characterizes this format, compelling each team within a group to clash with all other teams once. Venues may be determined either by random draw or assigned by the confederation in collaboration with the participating associations.
Knockout Format:
Teams progress through a knockout structure, where each team in a given round confronts another twice—once at their venue and once away.
Hosted Tournaments:
Subject to FIFA's authorization, a tournament may be staged in one of the participating nations or in neutral territory, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the qualification process.
Single-Leg Knockout Format:
With the green light from FIFA, a single-leg knockout format is admissible, intensifying the drama as teams face off in a winner-takes-all encounter.
This multifaceted approach, sanctioned by FIFA, ensures that the journey to the 2026 World Cup is marked by diverse challenges and exciting encounters, contributing to the global spectacle of football excellence.
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FIFA World Cup Qualifiers 2026 Tiebreakers
In the two round-robin formats, the tiebreaker criteria are as follows
| Criteria | Description |
| 1. Greatest number of points in all group matches | Points awarded: 3 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss |
| 2. Greatest goal differential in all group matches | Goal differential is the difference between goals scored and goals conceded |
| 3. Most goals scored in all group matches | Total goals scored in all group matches |
| If teams are still tied after criteria 1-3: | |
| 4. Greatest number of points in all matches among tied teams | Points awarded: 3 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss |
| 5. Greatest goal differential in all matches among tied teams | Goal differential is the difference between goals scored and goals conceded |
| 6. Most goals scored in all matches among tied teams | Total goals scored in all matches among the tied teams |
| 7. Most goals scored away from home among tied teams | Total goals scored away from home in all matches among the tied teams |
| 8. Best team conduct score using the provided table | Conduct score based on card points: -1 for first yellow card, -3 for second yellow/red card, -4 for direct red card, -5 for yellow card and direct red card (Only one score applied per player or team official in any match) |
| 9. Drawing of lots by FIFA | In case all previous criteria fail to determine a clear winner, lots will be drawn by FIFA |
It should be underscored that if the tournament unfolds in a sole host nation or neutral territory, criterion 7 will not be brought into play.
In the home-and-away knockout format, triumph hinges on the team amassing a superior goal tally across two matches, securing their advancement. Conversely, in the single-leg knockout configuration, the team clinching more goals in a solitary match emerges victorious, propelling them to the next stage. In the event of a deadlock after regular play, an additional two periods of 15 minutes each will transpire during extra time. Should parity persist even after extra time, the resolution will be determined by a penalty shoot-out, ultimately determining the triumphant side.
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