Sports Desk (MNN); A wide range of national teams have secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be jointly hosted by United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
Football giants such as Argentina, Brazil, Germany, France, and England headline the list, while debutants including Uzbekistan, Jordan, and Cape Verde mark a historic milestone.
Asian qualifiers include Japan, South Korea, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran, while Africa will be represented by teams such as Morocco, Senegal, Ghana, and Egypt.
Iran’s participation had been under scrutiny due to geopolitical tensions with the United States, where its group-stage matches are scheduled. Iranian authorities had requested FIFA to shift their matches to Mexico or Canada citing security and visa concerns. However, FIFA rejected the request and confirmed that matches would proceed as originally scheduled in the United States.
Following the decision, the controversy has now largely been resolved, with Iran agreeing to proceed with participation despite its concerns. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has also assured full support and security arrangements for all teams, reaffirming that the tournament will go ahead as planned.
The 2026 edition will be the first to feature an expanded 48-team format, allowing more nations to compete and significantly broadening global representation in football’s premier tournament.
