The European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico have officially concluded. With the final five direct qualification spots secured, the overall picture for the upcoming World Cup is becoming increasingly apparent.
Switzerland, Scotland, Spain, Austria, and Belgium emerged as winners of Groups B, C, E, H, and J, respectively, topping their groups and booking their tickets to the World Cup.
Scotland Returns to the World Stage After 28 Years
The final matchday of the European qualifiers featured intense battles, with several fixtures directly impacting the final standings. Belgium showed no mercy in their decisive clash, smashing Liechtenstein 7–0 to firmly cement their top position in the group.
Scotland produced a remarkable comeback by defeating Denmark 4–2 in their head-to-head showdown. The victory not only secured qualification but also marked Scotland’s return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, ending a 28-year absence from the grandest stage.
Spain, despite being held to a 2–2 draw by Turkey, maintained their points advantage and comfortably secured the top spot in Group E. Austria, meanwhile, earned qualification with a tense 1–1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
With these results, all 12 direct European qualifiers are now confirmed: England, France, Croatia, Portugal, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Scotland, Spain, Austria, and Belgium.
These teams will represent Europe in the 2026 global tournament across North America.
39 of the 48 World Cup Spots Already Filled
Across all confederations, 39 of the 48 World Cup berths have been confirmed. In addition to Europe’s 12 teams, the hosts, the USA, Canada, and Mexico, automatically qualify.
In Asia, Japan, South Korea, Iran, Australia, Qatar, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan have secured their places.
Africa’s qualified teams include Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, South Africa, Cape Verde, and Ghana.
South America continues to showcase its traditional powerhouses, with Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Ecuador, and Paraguay all securing their spots.
New Zealand will represent Oceania. The remaining three direct slots will be determined in upcoming CONCACAF matches, making the final phase of qualification especially crucial.
European Playoff Lineup Confirmed
Meanwhile, the 12 teams that will contest the European playoffs have also been finalised, divided into four seeding pots:
Pot 1: Italy, Denmark, Türkiye, Ukraine
Pot 2: Poland, Wales, Slovakia, Czech Republic
Pot 3: Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo
Pot 4 (UEFA Nations League berths): Sweden, Romania, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland
These teams will compete for the remaining European qualification slots. The intensity of the playoffs is expected to be no less dramatic than the group stage.
As the tournament approaches, global attention will soon shift to the largest World Cup in history, the 2026 edition.
