The 2026 World Cup is less than a month away, with the entire planet preparing for the tournament being held in North America this summer.
This edition of the World Cup includes a dramatic expansion from 32 to 48 teams, adding four new groups and a Round of 32 in the knockout stage that previously began with the last 16. The 2026 World Cup divides the 48 teams into 12 four-team groups (Groups A-L) with each country playing a game against the others in its group.
The expanded single-elimination knockout stage means that not only will the top two teams in each group advance, but also the eight best third-place finishers. There are nearly 500 possible matchups in the Round of 32 according to FIFA and there should be chaos in the final days of the group stage as teams jockey for position.
Here's a look at the groups for the World Cup:
Spain – 17th appearance
Brazil – 23rd appearance
United States of America – 12th appearance
Mexico – 18th appearance
England – 17th appearance
Portugal – ninth appearance
France – 17th appearance
Iran – seventh appearance
Switzerland – 13th appearance
Croatia – seventh appearance
Australia – seventh appearance
Morocco – seventh appearance
Austria – eighth appearance
Ecuador – fifth appearance
Senegal – fourth appearance
South Korea – 12th appearance
Japan – eighth appearance
Colombia – seventh appearance
Netherlands – 12th appearance
Germany – 21st appearance
Belgium – 15th appearance
Canada – third appearance
Saudi Arabia – seventh appearance
Uzbekistan – first appearance
Jordan – first appearance
Tunisia – seventh appearance
South Africa – fourth appearance
Ivory Coast – fourth appearance
Scotland – ninth appearance
Algeria – fifth appearance
New Zealand – third appearance
Paraguay – ninth appearance
Egypt – fourth appearance
Cape Verde – first appearance
Qatar – second appearance
Norway – fourth appearance
Panama – second appearance
Curacao – first appearance
Ghana – fifth appearance
Haiti – second appearance
1 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Spain – 17th appearance
1 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Spain – 17th appearance
2 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Brazil – 23rd appearance
3 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
United States of America – 12th appearance
4 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Mexico – 18th appearance
5 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
England – 17th appearance
6 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Portugal – ninth appearance
7 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
France – 17th appearance
8 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Iran – seventh appearance
9 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Switzerland – 13th appearance
10 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Croatia – seventh appearance
11 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Australia – seventh appearance
12 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Morocco – seventh appearance
13 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Austria – eighth appearance
14 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Ecuador – fifth appearance
15 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Senegal – fourth appearance
16 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
South Korea – 12th appearance
17 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Japan – eighth appearance
18 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Colombia – seventh appearance
19 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Netherlands – 12th appearance
20 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Germany – 21st appearance
21 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Belgium – 15th appearance
22 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Canada – third appearance
23 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Saudi Arabia – seventh appearance
24 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Uzbekistan – first appearance
25 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Jordan – first appearance
26 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Tunisia – seventh appearance
27 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
South Africa – fourth appearance
28 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Ivory Coast – fourth appearance
29 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Scotland – ninth appearance
30 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Algeria – fifth appearance
31 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
New Zealand – third appearance
32 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Paraguay – ninth appearance
33 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Egypt – fourth appearance
34 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Cape Verde – first appearance
35 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Qatar – second appearance
36 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Norway – fourth appearance
37 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Panama – second appearance
38 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Curacao – first appearance
39 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Ghana – fifth appearance
40 / 40
Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament
Haiti – second appearance
2026 World Cup groups
Group A
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Mexico
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South Africa
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South Korea
-
Czechia
Group B
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Canada
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Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Qatar
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Switzerland
Group C
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Brazil
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Morocco
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Haiti
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Scotland
Group D
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United States
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Paraguay
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Australia
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Turkey
Group E
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Germany
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Curacao
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Ivory Coast
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Ecuador
Group F
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Netherlands
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Japan
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Sweden
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Tunisia
Group G
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Belgium
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Egypt
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Iran
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New Zealand
Group H
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Spain
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Cape Verde
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Saudi Arabia
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Uruguay
Group I
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France
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Senegal
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Iraq
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Norway
Group J
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Argentina
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Algeria
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Austria
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Jordan
Group K
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Portugal
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DR Congo
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Uzbekistan
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Colombia
Group L
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England
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Croatia
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Ghana
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Panama
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: World Cup 2026 groups and teams list, standings and bracket
