Overview
- Guadalajara and Monterrey will stage the intercontinental playoff from March 23–31, determining the final two qualifiers for the 48‑team 2026 tournament.
- Iraq, DR Congo, Jamaica, Suriname, Bolivia and New Caledonia are the six playoff entrants, with single‑match semifinals and finals and Iraq and DR Congo seeded directly into the final round.
- UEFA’s separate repêchage will feature 16 teams drawn into four single‑match paths in March, each producing one European qualifier.
- Forty‑two nations have qualified, including Curaçao’s first appearance and returns for Haiti and Panama after CONCACAF’s final round concluded.
- FIFA’s Nov. 19 ranking places hosts USA, Mexico and Canada alongside Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany in pot 1 for the Dec. 5 draw in Washington, D.C.