The FIFA World Cup 2026 brings together 48 nations across 12 groups — the largest international football tournament ever staged. From five-time champions Brazil and Argentina to first-time qualifiers like Uzbekistan and Jordan, this is the most diverse World Cup field in history. Here is a complete group-by-group overview of every team competing.
Group A: Mexico, South Korea, Czechia, South Africa
Mexico are one of the tournament's co-hosts and one of North America's most decorated football nations. They have qualified for every World Cup since 1994 and open the competition at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on 11 June 2026.
South Korea are Asia's most celebrated World Cup nation, famous for their semi-final run as 2002 co-hosts. The Taeguk Warriors are known for relentless work rate and a generation of world-class talent playing in Europe's top leagues.
Czechia bring a rich football heritage — drawing on Czechoslovakia's 1934 and 1962 World Cup final appearances — and qualified through UEFA with a technically gifted, physically strong squad.
South Africa are the only African nation to host a FIFA World Cup (2010) and return to the global stage for the first time since that tournament. Bafana Bafana play an energetic, pressing style and will aim to cause upsets.
Group B: Canada, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
Canada are co-hosts and one of the most exciting stories of the 2026 tournament. After ending a 36-year World Cup absence in 2022, they have become a genuine CONCACAF force with world-class players spread across European leagues.
Bosnia-Herzegovina return to the World Cup after their only previous appearance in Brazil 2014, bringing creative attacking players and a football culture that has grown rapidly over three decades.
Qatar, the 2022 World Cup hosts, make a surprise appearance in Group B — reflecting their remarkable investment in football infrastructure over the past two decades.
Switzerland are one of Europe's most reliable tournament sides — quarter-finalists in 2022 — known for defensive solidity and the ability to grind out results against top opponents.
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Brazil are the most successful nation in World Cup history with five titles. The Seleção blend technical brilliance, physicality, and creativity, and are always considered among the strongest favourites.
Morocco made history at the 2022 World Cup as the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals and have since established themselves among the world's top teams.
Haiti make a historic World Cup appearance for the first time, representing one of the Caribbean's most passionate football nations on football's biggest stage.
Scotland return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998 — ending a 28-year absence — with a hardworking, tactically disciplined squad and the famous Tartan Army in support.
Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Türkiye
United States are a co-host nation led by a golden generation of players from Europe's elite clubs. Playing on home soil before massive crowds, the USMNT target a deep knockout run.
Paraguay are a well-organised South American side known for defensive resilience — their best World Cup result was a quarter-final in 2010 — and they never make things easy for opponents.
Australia reached the Round of 16 in Qatar 2022 and have grown steadily as an Asian football power, playing a direct, physical game with pace in attack.
Türkiye — whose best World Cup result was third place in 2002 — return with a technically gifted squad drawing on a strong domestic league.
Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Germany are four-time World Cup champions and come to North America hungry to bounce back after consecutive group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022. They remain one of the tournament's deepest squads.
Curaçao make a historic maiden World Cup appearance, becoming the first time the small Caribbean island nation has reached football's biggest stage. Their debut is a landmark moment for CONCACAF.
Ivory Coast are one of Africa's most talented football nations, with experienced players from Europe's top leagues at every position.
Ecuador return after opening the 2022 tournament with a win against hosts Qatar. La Tri play fast, direct football through the flanks.
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Netherlands are three-time World Cup finalists and quarter-finalists in 2022, with a squad full of elite European club talent. Oranje play an attractive, attacking style.
Japan famously defeated Germany and Spain in the 2022 group stage — and remain Asia's strongest World Cup team. The Samurai Blue play an intensive, high-press style.
Sweden finished third at the 1994 World Cup and remain one of Europe's most reliable sides with a physically strong, technically capable squad.
Tunisia are one of Africa's most experienced World Cup nations with six tournament appearances, known for defensive organisation and clinical counter-attacking play.
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Belgium finished third at the 2018 World Cup and remain technically gifted even in a transitional period, with world-class quality throughout their squad.
Egypt are seven-time African champions returning with talent from European leagues and a fan base that extends across the Arab world.
Iran are Asia's most frequent World Cup participants, consistently well-organised defensively and dangerous on the counter-attack.
New Zealand qualify through the OFC pathway in a rare World Cup appearance, bringing team spirit, tactical discipline, and the underdog determination of a team that fought through inter-confederation play-offs to earn their place.
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Spain are 2010 World Cup champions and 2024 European champions who have rediscovered their iconic passing style. La Roja are among the tournament's two or three strongest favourites.
Cape Verde make a historic World Cup debut — one of football's great underdog stories — as the small Atlantic island archipelago reaches football's biggest stage for the first time.
Saudi Arabia caused one of the World Cup's greatest upsets by defeating eventual champions Argentina in 2022 and have invested heavily in their domestic league since.
Uruguay are two-time World Cup champions (1930, 1950) and fourth-place finishers in 2010 — always competitive, always combative, always difficult to beat.
Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
France are two-time World Cup champions (1998, 2018) and runners-up in 2022 — one of the tournament's two or three strongest favourites, with extraordinary depth at every position.
Senegal are African champions and 2002 World Cup quarter-finalists, combining physical power with technical quality and players from Europe's top clubs.
Iraq return to the World Cup for the first time since 1986 — a remarkable achievement that represents the rebuilding of Iraqi football over decades.
Norway — powered by a generation of talented players including one of Europe's most prolific strikers — qualify for a rare World Cup appearance.
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Argentina are the reigning World Cup champions after their iconic victory in Qatar 2022 — their third title overall — and arrive as tournament co-favourites alongside France.
Algeria qualified through CAF with a talented squad featuring players from Ligue 1 and other European leagues, capable of recapturing their 2014 Round of 16 form.
Austria have been one of Europe's most improved national teams in recent years, qualifying with an exciting young squad that plays attractive, attacking football.
Jordan make a historic World Cup debut — a major milestone for football in the Arab world — after qualifying through the AFC pathway.
Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Portugal are one of Europe's most consistent World Cup performers — semi-finalists in 2006, quarter-finalists in 2022 — with a technically gifted squad from Europe's elite clubs.
DR Congo, historically representing as Zaire (Africa's first World Cup participants in 1974), return with a technically skilled squad from the continent's largest French-speaking nation.
Uzbekistan make their World Cup debut after qualifying through the AFC — marking the tournament entrance of Central Asian football and a rising footballing power.
Colombia arrive as Copa América 2024 runners-up, known for their flair, creativity, and attacking play combining South American skill with physical intensity.
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
England are 1966 World Cup champions and reached the semi-finals in 2018. The Three Lions carry the expectations of a nation waiting 60 years for another world title, with remarkable Premier League depth.
Croatia were runners-up in 2018 and third place in 2022 — the World Cup's great modern overachievers — now transitioning to a new generation but still technically capable.
Ghana came within a penalty of the World Cup semi-finals in 2010 and have rebuilt their squad with European-based talent aiming to recapture that form.
Panama have established themselves as a consistent CONCACAF qualifier, known for disciplined, physically robust football that makes life difficult for any opponent.