Overview
- Portugal and Norway clinched qualification, lifting the confirmed list to 32 nations that include first‑time qualifiers Uzbekistan, Jordan and Cape Verde.
- The ceremony will be held December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and placeholders will represent spots still to be decided.
- Pot 1 comprises the top nine ranked teams plus the United States, Canada and Mexico, and groups will avoid same‑confederation matchups except that up to two UEFA teams may share a group.
- The 2026 tournament expands to 48 teams and 12 groups with 104 matches from June 11 to July 19, opening at Estadio Azteca and ending at MetLife Stadium.
- The remaining places will be resolved through confederation playoffs and a March 2026 intercontinental playoff in North America featuring teams from AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL, OFC and two from Concacaf.