Iraq’s victory in the final playoff completed the 48-team field for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The Lions of Mesopotamia edged Bolivia 2-1 in the second playoff final in Mexico. Earlier, the Democratic Republic of the Congo beat Jamaica 1-0 to claim the first playoff final. In Europe, Turkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden and Czechia filled the remaining qualifying places.
The 2026 tournament will be the largest World Cup to date: 48 teams instead of 32, 104 matches spread across 16 venues in the three host nations. Argentina enter as defending champions after Lionel Messi’s triumph in Qatar 2022. Four countries will make their World Cup debuts: Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan.
The opening match is set for June 11 in Mexico City, a reprise of the 2010 opener when Mexico faced South Africa. Mexico are placed in a strong Group A alongside South Korea, South Africa and Czechia. The USA will meet Australia, Paraguay and Turkiye in Group D, while hosts Canada must navigate Group B with Switzerland, Qatar and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Below is the full breakdown of the 48 nations across the 12 groups:
Group A:
– Mexico
– South Korea
– South Africa
– Czechia
Group B:
– Canada
– Switzerland
– Qatar
– Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group C:
– Brazil
– Morocco
– Scotland
– Haiti
Group D:
– USA
– Australia
– Paraguay
– Turkiye
Group E:
– Germany
– Ecuador
– Ivory Coast
– Curacao
Group F:
– Netherlands
– Japan
– Tunisia
– Sweden
Group G:
– Belgium
– Iran
– Egypt
– New Zealand
Group H:
– Spain
– Uruguay
– Saudi Arabia
– Cape Verde
Group I:
– France
– Senegal
– Norway
– Iraq
Group J:
– Argentina
– Austria
– Algeria
– Jordan
Group K:
– Portugal
– Colombia
– Uzbekistan
– Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Group L:
– England
– Croatia
– Panama
– Ghana
With the final playoff results now in, the stage is set for the expanded, transnational showcase of world football next summer.