Croatia Seal 2026 World Cup Berth With 3–1 Win as Global Qualifier list expands

Croatia became the latest nation to book a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating the Faroe Islands 3–1 in a European qualifying match on Friday. The result confirmed Croatia’s passage to next year’s expanded tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada and feature a record 48 teams.

The 2026 edition will allocate 43 places through continental qualifying competitions, while two additional berths will be determined through intercontinental playoffs scheduled for March in Mexico. The three host nations United States, Mexico and Canada have already entered the tournament as automatic qualifiers.

Africa has completed nine of its direct qualification slots, with Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia securing their places. Asia has filled all eight of its direct spots, with Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Uzbekistan confirmed for the finals.

In Europe, England, France and Croatia have become the early confirmed entrants. More European teams are expected to qualify as the remaining fixtures conclude. Oceania, for the first time, enjoys a guaranteed spot in the expanded World Cup format, and New Zealand secured that place earlier this year. The region could add a second representative if New Caledonia progress through the intercontinental playoffs.

South America has completed its direct qualification rounds, sending six teams—Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay to the tournament. Another South American side will enter the intercontinental playoff to compete for a final slot.

With qualifying matches still ongoing in several regions and the playoffs scheduled in early 2026, the list of confirmed teams will continue to grow. The expanded format is expected to bring unprecedented global participation as football’s largest tournament moves closer to kick-off across North America.