The 2026 World Cup picture has become much clearer, following November’s international break – the last pause in club action until next March.
Forty-two of the 48 competing nations have now been confirmed, with the remaining six to be decided via play-offs in the spring.
The current Manchester United squad is likely to be well-represented at next summer’s tournament, which is being held in North America in June and July.
Everything you need to know about the 23rd running of FIFA’s global competition is detailed below…
WHERE IS THE WORLD CUP?
For the first time ever, the World Cup is being held across three different nations – the United States, Mexico and Canada. The US, which last hosted the event in 1994, has the bulk of the games, with 78 fixtures due to be played across 11 cities.
Mexico will become the first country to stage matches at three separate tournaments, while Canada is a first-time host. Both nations have 13 games, with Mexico’s being held in Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey and Canada’s taking place in Toronto and Vancouver.
WHEN IS THE WORLD CUP?
The opening match, involving Mexico, will take place at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday 11 June 2026.
That will be the first of 72 fixtures in the group stage, which runs until Saturday 27 June. The knockout stages get under way the following day, with the round of 32.
The 2026 World Cup final will take place at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday 19 July.
HOW HAS THE FORMAT CHANGED?
From 1998 until 2022, each World Cup comprised 32 teams but FIFA has expanded this edition, with an extra 16 countries involved, including first-time qualifiers Cape Verde, Jordan, Uzbekistan and Curacao.
They will be split into 12 groups of four, with the top two in each group advancing to the round of 32.
Joining them in the knockout stages will be the eight best third-placed teams.
WHICH REDS COULD BE THERE?
Hosts Argentina were among the first teams to qualify, as they topped the South American section with relative ease, finishing nine points clear of Ecuador. Lisandro Martinez, who was part of the squad that lifted the trophy in Qatar, played in three of the qualifiers and was involved in the Albiceleste’s recent training camp, after recovering from knee surgery.
Brazil (Casemiro and Matheus Cunha), Paraguay (Diego Leon) and Uruguay (Manuel Ugarte) also finished in the top six of the CONMEBOL section and will be involved in next summer’s tournament.
Morocco (Noussair Mazraoui) were the surprise packages four years ago, reaching the semi-finals, and they qualified with ease by winning all eight games. Ivory Coast will also take part for the first time since 2014, with Amad helping the Elephants complete an unbeaten campaign last month.
Australia will compete in a sixth consecutive World Cup, having successfully come through the Asian qualifying campaign behind Japan. The Socceroos called up James Overy for November’s squad and the Academy right-back, who turned 18 earlier this month, could be one of the youngest players at next summer’s finals.
England dominated European qualifying, winning all of their matches in Group K without conceding a single goal. Marcus Rashford, who is on loan at Barcelona, was picked in Thomas Tuchel’s most recent squad, while the likes of Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount and Luke Shaw will hope to make a late surge, having all starred in previous tournaments.
Portugal are in, thanks in no small part to Bruno Fernandes’s hat-trick against Armenia, while Diogo Dalot has also been a regular for Roberto Martinez’s men. Can they lift the trophy for the first time in what is likely to be Cristiano Ronaldo’s final tournament?
The Netherlands and Matthijs de Ligt have also booked their place. Tyrell Malacia and Joshua Zirkzee complete our Dutch contingent but have not been selected recently.
Belgium confirmed their passage to the tournament proper on the same night that Senne Lammens made his full international debut, with a commanding 7-0 victory over Liechtenstein to top Group J. Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois and Nottingham Forest's Matz Sels provide some punchy competition between the sticks for the nation, but the United man will hope his inclusion is a positive sign for next summer.
WHO COULD STILL QUALIFY?
The full slate of teams heading to the World Cup is still yet to be completed, with six places still up for grabs through the next play-off stage. In total, 16 European nations enter the next draw, split into four pathways, with a knockout semi-final and a final to be played to whittle down the last for entrants from the continent.
The remaining two places will be decided by intercontinental play-off games between Bolivia, DR Congo, New Caledonia, Iraq, Jamaica and Suriname.
There is still chance for Altay Bayindir to qualify with Turkey through the European play-offs, as they finished second in Group E, behind Spain.
Likewise for Denmark, who narrowly missed out on an automatic spot in their dramatic loss to Scotland, with both Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu and Reds loanee Rasmus Hojlund in the side.
The draw to decide who will play who in the play-off stages is being conducted this Thursday (20 November) in Switzerland, with the games to be held in the March international break.
WHEN’S THE WORLD CUP DRAW?
Competing nations in the tournament proper will discover their group-stage schedule on Friday 5 December, at 17:00 GMT.
That’s when the draw takes place at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.