FIFA World Cup FAQs: Who Has Qualified, Draw Information, Odds, and Who Will Win?

The 2026 World Cup is taking full shape following the end of the November international break, with 42 teams having secured their progression to the global event, which will be staged across the United States, Canada, and Mexico next summer.

Only six places remain up for grabs, with the crucial playoffs set to be played in March’s international window.

However, the World Cup draw will be staged before then, meaning that the world’s elite will be aware of their path to sporting immortality. You can find the FIFA World Cup draw information, odds, and discover the teams that have qualified for the 2026 tournament here.

When Is The 2026 FIFA World Cup?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup gets underway in Mexico on June 11, 2026. Matches will be played across the Americas, with the final being staged at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Odds

When Is The FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw?

The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be staged at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., on Friday, December 5, 2025.

The event will be broadcast around the world, and will get underway at 12:00 PM ET.

All 48 nations will be placed into pots determined by their world rankings, and one team from each will be drawn into the 12 groups. Host nations USA, Mexico, and Canada will all be top seeds.

Who Has Qualified for the 2026 World Cup?

The qualification round is almost complete, with the remaining six spots being confirmed during the playoffs next year. Scotland and Austria ended their long waits for World Cup qualification on Tuesday evening, joining heavyweights such as Spain, England, and France.

A huge number of nations will be making their World Cup debuts in 2026, including Cape Verde, who became the second-smallest qualifier to a major soccer tournament.

Curacao also made history during the campaign by becoming the smallest nation to ever reach the World Cup Finals. Other debutants in 2026 include Uzbekistan and Jordan. The predicted seeding for the 2026 World Cup can be found below.

When Are The FIFA World Cup Playoffs?

The Playoffs to determine the final six spots at next summer’s World Cup will be played in March. In Europe, there will be 16 nations vying for four spots, with higher seeded nations having the important home advantage.

A couple of big nations could miss out, with Italy, Denmark, and Wales all in the playoff round. Minnows such as Romania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia will be aiming to make World Cup history.

The Inter-confederation Playoffs will also be contested in March, with six nations split into two paths. Both will be rounded off with a final, with DR Congo and Iraq immediately going through to that stage. Other nations that will compete in these playoffs are Jamaica, Suriname, Bolivia, and New Caledonia. The draws for both playoffs will take place on Thursday, November 20.

Who Will Win The 2026 World Cup?

It is challenging to make an accurate prediction when it comes to who will win the 2026 World Cup before the draw is made in December.

However, leading nations such as Spain, England, and Portugal look to have excellent depth throughout their squad. The latter could be primed for a solid showing in the summer, as they will have the added advantage of being a possession-based team that should thrive in hot climates across the Americas.

As an outsider, Japan have always threatened to go deep in a World Cup, and as a second seed, they should have a more straightforward passage through to the latter stages.