For the first time, 48 nations compete at a single World Cup. Here's a guide to who they are, what to expect, and which players to watch.
The nations most likely to lift the trophy on July 19.
France arrives with a squad combining the electric pace of Kylian Mbappé — arguably the best player in the world — with the tactical sophistication and physical depth of a nation that produces elite talent generation after generation. The 2018 champions are built for knockout football.
Five-time champions and perennial favourites — Brazil are the nation most associated with the World Cup. The 2026 squad is highly creative and technically gifted with a generation of young attacking talent emerging from South America's most powerful soccer nation.
The 2022 champions return to defend. Lionel Messi — widely regarded as the greatest player ever — may compete in his final World Cup at age 38. Watching whether Messi can add to his 2022 triumph or how Argentina copes if he can't perform at 100% will be one of the defining storylines of the tournament.
Spain won the 2024 European Championship in style, playing the kind of technically demanding, positionally precise football that makes them a nightmare for any opponent. With a young, fearless squad, Spain arrives at 2026 in their strongest position since the golden era of 2008–2012.
Four-time champions. Germany hosted and won Euro 2024 (just kidding — they lost in the quarterfinals), but the tournament showed renewed energy with a young generation. Under their current manager, Germany are rebuilding toward a harder-edged, more direct style that suits knockout football.
England reached the Euro 2024 Final before losing to Spain. Their only World Cup title came on home soil in 1966 — but a golden generation including top Premier League talent makes them genuine contenders. The question mark, as always, is whether they perform when it matters most.
USA, Canada, and Mexico qualify automatically and hold home-crowd advantages throughout the group stage.
The USMNT is in a rebuilding phase after failing to qualify for 2018, but a strong 2022 showing proved the squad has genuine ability. Christian Pulisic leads a talented core. Playing on home soil with massive crowds behind them could unlock something special. Reaching the quarterfinals is the realistic goal; going further would be one of the great World Cup stories.
Canada's 2022 World Cup was their first appearance since 1986. As a co-host in 2026, they automatically qualify for their second consecutive tournament. Their squad — led by Alphonso Davies of Bayern Munich — is talented and improving. Canadian soccer is in the middle of a generational surge in quality.
Mexico has reached the Round of 16 in seven consecutive World Cups — a remarkable streak. The opening match at Azteca will be an occasion unlike anything in North American sports. El Tri's passionate fanbase will travel en masse to matches across the US and Mexico alike.
FIFA allocates World Cup spots by confederation — the six regional governing bodies of world soccer.
France, Spain, Germany, England, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Croatia, Switzerland, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Greece, Albania, Kosovo, and more. Europe's allocation nearly doubled in the expanded format.
Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador, and one other South American nation. CONMEBOL qualifies via a round-robin league — the most grueling, competitive qualification format in the world.
USA, Canada, and Mexico qualify as hosts. Panama, El Salvador, and one other nation claim the remaining automatic spots. CONCACAF nations benefit enormously from the home-territory format.
Morocco (QF 2022), Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon, Algeria, Ghana, South Africa, DR Congo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Kenya, Angola, and others. Africa's biggest-ever allocation gives the continent a chance to reach the latter stages in force.
Japan, South Korea, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Qatar (as 2022 host), Kazakhstan, Oman, Kuwait, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Philippines, Myanmar, and Yemen. Asia's largest-ever allocation reflects the continent's growing soccer investment.
New Zealand are Oceania's representative. The OFC nations have historically needed to go through a playoff against a team from another confederation to qualify.