The 2026 FIFA World Cup now has its full roster of 48 national teams and the finalized group stage draw. The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The last six teams to qualify through the play-offs are the Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, Sweden, Iraq, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Notably, Italy failed to qualify, marking the third consecutive World Cup they will miss. Albania and Kosovo were also eliminated in the play-off stage.
The group stage lineup is as follows:
- Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic
- Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
- Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
- Group D: USA, 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, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia
- Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
Highlights include Iraq returning to the World Cup after 40 years in Group I alongside France, Senegal, and Norway, and Turkey joining Group D with the USA, Paraguay, and Australia. Sweden will compete in Group F against the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo will face Portugal, Uzbekistan, and Colombia in Group K.
This will be the first 48-team World Cup, organized into 12 groups of four teams each. For many nations, including Albania, Kosovo, and Italy, this marks another missed opportunity to compete on football’s biggest stage.
