From Europe’s fiery rivalries to Africa’s passion and Asia’s emerging talent, international qualifiers are where the world’s best teams prepare for the high-stakes environment of a World Cup. In recent weeks, a series of high-profile matches have been played, with the winners of several groups securing their places in 2026. Japan, Iran, Australia and South Korea are all in good positions to do so and could book their spots this week. Jordan and Uzbekistan, meanwhile, will make their first appearances in the tournament.
Qualifying for the World Cup is a demanding process with many games played over two legs and the use of tiebreakers that can include extra time and penalty shootouts if necessary. The climactic atmosphere of these matches helps teams build the mental and physical strength needed to perform in front of a global audience.
A revamped format for qualification has been introduced for the 2026 event with 54 teams divided into nine groups of six that play home-and-away matches on a hexa-format. The top two teams in each group qualify for the tournament, while the four runners-up go into inter-confederation playoffs. The first nations to qualify will be announced on 24 March with New Zealand expected to win the Oceania group, meaning they will join qualifiers from Europe (with 16 berths), Africa, Asia and North/Central America.
