The qualifying journey for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — a two-year process narrowing 206 nations down to 48 finalists — is entering its high-stakes final stretch.

While each confederation follows its own timeline, the race is intensifying across the globe.

The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams, a significant increase from the 32 that competed in Qatar 2022. As October’s qualifiers unfold, 19 nations have already secured their spots.

In Africa (CAF), three nations — Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia — have already secured their spots at next summer’s tournament. The continent has nine automatic qualification spots plus one intercontinental playoff slot, setting the stage for a fierce final round.

Algeria became the 19th team globally to qualify, clinching a World Cup berth with a 3-0 victory over Somalia on October 9.

Drama continues to unfold in Group C, where an overturned result due to an ineligible player has shaken the standings. South Africa's 2-0 win over Lesotho in March was later recorded as a forfeit, after suspended player Teboho Mokoena was fielded — a decision that the South African FA is appealing.

That ruling temporarily reopened qualification hopes for five of the six teams in the group. However, Rwanda and Lesotho have since been eliminated following last Friday’s results. Benin, a nation yet to qualify for any FIFA World Cup, now leads the group — ahead of traditional giants South Africa and Nigeria — with one matchday remaining.

Africa’s qualification campaign is the most advanced, with 12 of the remaining 15 teams still in contention for a 2026 World Cup berth in the coming days.

Benin: In Group C, Africa's most dramatic qualifying section, "Les Gue?pards" are in the best position to claim the spot, but they have a difficult path to get it done. A win at Nigeria, or a South Africa draw/loss, would send Benin to a first-ever World Cup. A draw could do the job provided South Africa does not win and bridge a two-goal gap in terms of goal difference.

Cameroon: The "Indomitable Lions" were thrown a lifeline Wednesday, as Libya's draw with Cape Verde kept Cameroon's hopes of direct qualification alive. To get in, they'll need to defeat Angola at home Monday, while also seeing Cape Verde fail to defeat Eswatini.

Ghana: One more point is all it will take for the "Black Stars" to return to the World Cup. A win or draw against Comoros on Sunday would secure Ghana's place at the tournament, but even a loss could be enough. Madagascar trails Ghana by three points in Group I, and has an eight-goal deficit in the first tiebreaker (goal difference).
    
Cape Verde: The "Blue Sharks" thought they had qualified, only for an abysmal offside call to rob them of a win on Wednesday that would have sealed their place. Still, a home win over winless Eswatini on Monday would finish the job. However, due to significantly inferior goal difference compared to Cameroon, a draw would leave the door wide open for Cape Verde to end up in the playoff round.
    
DR Congo: "Les Le?opards" kept their hopes alive Friday with a 1-0 win at Togo, but the path to qualifying this week is very difficult. DR Congo must defeat Sudan Tuesday and hope for Senegal to fail to defeat Mauritania. Should the Senegalese secure a draw, DR Congo will need to make up a seven-goal disadvantage for goal difference purposes to win Group B.
    
Egypt: With two games left to play (including a match on Wednesday), Egypt leads Group A by five points over Burkina Faso. One more win, or two draws, or a loss by Burkina Faso would clinch qualification for "the Pharoahs."
    
Gabon: Gabon kept their hopes alive, but it required Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to score four goals in a 4-3 comeback win over Gambia on Friday. "Les Panthe?res" need to defeat Burundi on Tuesday and see Ivory Coast fail to defeat Kenya, or get a draw combined with the highly unlikely outcome of Ivory Coast losing by at least 11 goals on the final matchday in Group F.
    
Ivory Coast: A 7-0 win on Friday over Seychelles didn't quite finish the job for "the Elephants," as Gabon's wild 4-3 win over Gambia kept Group F's top spot up for grabs. A home win over Kenya on Tuesday will send Ivory Coast to the World Cup, but a draw or loss opens the door for Gabon to claim the place instead.

Madagascar: The chances are remote, but Madagascar could still come out of this window having qualified for a first-ever World Cup. The "Barea" need to defeat Mali on Sunday, while Ghana would also need to lose at home to Comoros. On top of that, Madagascar would need to bridge an eight-goal gap for the first tiebreaker (goal difference) to swing in their favor.
    
Nigeria: The "Super Eagles" have historically been among Africa's best teams, but their 2026 hopes are hanging by a thread. First, Nigeria needs to beat Group C leaders Benin on Tuesday, and a one-goal victory would leave those two level on points and goal difference. Second, Nigeria would also need South Africa to fail to beat Rwanda.
    
Senegal: The "Lions of Teranga" will qualify from Group B if they can win their final game, a home clash with Mauritania on Tuesday, or if DR Congo fails to defeat Sudan in a match that will be played simultaneously in Kinshaha. With a two-point lead and a seven-goal advantage on goal difference, Senegal would almost certainly clinch with a draw, as DR Congo would have to win and bridge that tiebreaker gap to boot.
    
South Africa: A win over Rwanda on Tuesday is a requirement for the "Bafana Bafana," who trail Benin by two points. They will also need either a loss or draw for Benin at Nigeria (and with a draw, goal difference becomes the deciding factor).

Here is a complete list of every country to qualify for the 2026 World Cup as of Thursday, October 9.

    Host nations: Canada, Mexico, United States
    Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Uzbekistan
    Africa: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia
    Concacaf: None yet
    Europe: None yet
    Oceania: New Zealand
    South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay