The official list of teams has been announced, bringing many big surprises, including the inclusion of newcomers and the regrettable absence of well-known teams.
This is the first time the World Cup will feature 48 teams, significantly larger than the traditional 32-team format, promising a more exciting and diverse tournament with representatives from various continents. The tournament is scheduled to take place from June 11th to July 19th, 2026, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with 104 matches played across 16 host cities.
The list of participating teams includes many traditional contenders and former world champions such as Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Spain, England, Portugal, and the Netherlands, contributing to a high-level competition at the tournament. At the same time, representatives like Haiti, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan made their mark by qualifying for the finals for the first time, expanding the map of world football.
Iraq became the last team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after a 2-1 victory over Bolivia in the intercontinental play-off – their first appearance on the planet's biggest football stage in 40 years.
In Europe, 16 spots have been determined, including surprises from the play-offs such as Bosnia & Herzegovina, Türkiye, Sweden, and the Czech Republic, all of whom successfully qualified.
The detailed list of 48 teams allocated across 12 groups is as follows (according to the official announcement):
- Group A : Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic
- Group B : Canada, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
- Group C : Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
- Group D : United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey
- Group E : Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
- Group F : Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
- Group G : Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
- Group H : Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
- Group I : France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
- Group J : Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
- Group K : Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia
- Group L : England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
Expanding to 48 teams allows for greater representation from across continents, increasing opportunities for smaller teams to access the larger stage. Alongside teams with long World Cup histories, many teams are making their first appearance or returning after a long absence, making the 2026 World Cup one of the most anticipated tournaments in world football history.
With the official rosters finalized, the teams are now focusing on preparing for their journey to compete for the championship, attracting the attention of millions of fans worldwide.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/world-cup-2026-xac-dinh-du-48-doi-nhieu-bat-ngo-va-tan-binh-lich-su-216322.html
Comment (0)