The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States, with 48 teams competing in a expanded format. As of the November FIFA international window, 42 of the 48 spots have been secured, leaving six remaining qualifiers to be decided through intercontinental and UEFA playoffs by March 31, 2024. The UEFA playoff involves 16 European teams, including second-place finishers from the group stage and four Nations League group leaders, competing in four knockout brackets of four teams each, with the four winners securing qualification. The intercontinental playoff features six teams from Conmebol, Concacaf, AFC, CAF, and OFC, divided into two brackets of three teams, with the two winners earning the final two spots. Notably, Bolivia (Conmebol), Iraq (AFC), Congo (CAF), and New Caledonia (OFC) are currently the leading contenders in their respective playoff brackets, though final participants from Concacaf are yet to be determined. The tournament begins on June 11, 2026, with 104 matches scheduled, including a new format of 12 groups of four teams, where the top two from each group and the eight best third-placed teams advance to the knockout stage starting from the round of 32. The qualified teams include host nations Mexico, USA, and Canada, along with direct qualifiers from Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe, such as Argentina, Brazil, France, Spain, and England.