16 nations advance to the 2026 World Cup [complete list]

A total of 16 countries have qualified for the 2026 World Cup.

Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay secured their spots on Thursday, following the penultimate qualifying fixtures in the South America zone.

Uruguay and Colombia both triumphed 3-0, while Paraguay drew scorelessly.

The three join Argentina, Brazil, and Ecuador, who have already qualified from the continent.

The United States, Mexico, and Canada, who all qualified automatically, will co-host the World Cup next year, which will include a record 48 teams.

Australia, South Korea, Jordan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Japan, and New Zealand are among the other nations that have already reserved their spots.

43 teams will advance via continental qualification tournaments, and two more will guarantee spots in the six-team intercontinental playoffs in March 2026.

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