With 28 teams already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the race is heating up for the remaining spots — but who will be next to book their ticket in November 2025?
November 2025 marks a decisive moment in the global race to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as nations from every continent edge closer to securing their place at football’s biggest stage.
With qualification campaigns reaching their final rounds, fans can expect intense battles, surprise contenders, and emotional finishes as countries fight for a ticket to the expanded 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
From powerhouse nations sealing early qualification to underdogs chasing history, November promises to shape the tournament’s final lineup in spectacular fashion.
Already Qualified Teams in 2026 FIFA World Cup
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As of October 2025, 28 teams have secured their places at the 2026 World Cup:
- Hosts (3): Canada, Mexico, United States
- Asia (AFC) – 8 teams: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
- Africa (CAF) – 9 teams: Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, Nigeria (via playoff)
- South America (CONMEBOL) – 6 teams: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
- Europe (UEFA) – 1 team: England
- Oceania (OFC) – 1 team: New Zealand
who will be Qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup in November ticket?
As the qualifiers enter their decisive phase, powerhouse nations aim to seal early progression, while emerging teams fight for a place in football’s grandest stage. From Europe’s tense playoff battles to South America’s fierce clashes and Africa’s unpredictable qualifiers, November promises high-stakes drama on the road to the FIFA World Cup 2026 across the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
European Teams Likely to Qualify in November
The UEFA qualifying campaign concludes with Matchdays 9 and 10 on November 13-18, 2025. Several European giants are positioned to seal automatic qualification:
UEFA Teams Near-Certain Qualifiers
Portugal (Group F)
Portugal National Football Team is currently leading with 10 points from 4 matches. Portugal needs just one point from their remaining fixtures against the Republic of Ireland (home, Nov 13) and Armenia (away, Nov 16) to secure automatic qualification.
Despite a dramatic 2-2 draw with Hungary in the October World Cup Window, where Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to reach 143 international goals, Fernando Santos’ side remains firmly in control.
Germany (Group A)
The four-time world champions lead their group and face Luxembourg (away, Nov 14) and Slovakia (home, Nov 17). Victory in either match should confirm their qualification.
Spain (Group E)
La Roja are dominant in their group and face Georgia (away, Nov 15) and Turkey (home, Nov 18). With their attacking prowess demonstrated by a 6-0 demolition of Turkey in September, qualification appears inevitable.
Netherlands (Group G)
Leading with 16 points from 6 matches, the Dutch need just one point from matches against Poland (away, Nov 14) and Lithuania (home, Nov 17) to secure their World Cup spot.
Croatia (Group L)
The 2022 World Cup runners-up sit atop Group L with 16 points and face Faroe Islands (home, Nov 14) and Montenegro (away, Nov 17). Victory in either match should seal qualification.
Strong Contenders
Italy (Group I)
The Azzurri are well-positioned after a 3-0 victory over Israel and face Moldova (away, Nov 13) and Norway (home, Nov 16).
Belgium (Group J)
Lead their group and face Kazakhstan (away, Nov 15) and Liechtenstein (home, Nov 18).
France (Group D)
Les Bleus need positive results against Ukraine (home, Nov 13) and Azerbaijan (away, Nov 16) to confirm qualification.
Switzerland (Group B)
Face Sweden (home, Nov 15) and Kosovo (away, Nov 18) with qualification within reach.
Denmark (Group C)
Take on Belarus (home, Nov 15) and Scotland (away, Nov 18) to secure their spot.
Asian Playoff Winner
The AFC fifth round playoff between the United Arab Emirates and Iraq will be played on November 13 and 18, 2025 in a two-legged format.
The winner advances to the FIFA Inter-Continental Playoffs in March 2026 for one final chance to reach the 2026 World Cup.
Both teams finished as runners-up in their respective fourth round groups after Qatar and Saudi Arabia secured automatic qualification in October.
African Playoff Tournament
The CAF Inter-Continental Playoff Tournament takes place November 13-16, 2025, in Rabat, Morocco, featuring four African nations competing for one additional World Cup berth:
Semi-Finals (November 13):
- Nigeria vs Gabon – 5:00 PM local time (4:00 PM GMT)
- Cameroon vs DR Congo – 8:00 PM local time (7:00 PM GMT)
Final (November 16):
- Winners of semi-finals – 8:00 PM local time (7:00 PM GMT)
The tournament winner advances to the FIFA Inter-Continental Playoffs in March 2026 for Africa’s 10th and final World Cup spot.
South American Playoff Picture
CONMEBOL qualifying concluded in September 2025 with all six automatic qualification spots filled. The race for the seventh-place playoff position came down to the final matchday:
Bolivia (20 points) secured the playoff berth after a dramatic final round, finishing ahead of Venezuela (18 points). Bolivia will compete in the inter-confederation playoffs in March 2026 for one final chance to reach their first World Cup since 1994.
November Qualification Schedule Summary
November 13-18, 2025:
- UEFA Matchdays 9 & 10: Final group stage matches across all 12 European groups.
- AFC Fifth Round: UAE vs Iraq (1st leg Nov 13, 2nd leg Nov 18)
- CAF Playoff Semi-Finals: November 13 in Rabat, Morocco
- CAF Playoff Final: November 16 in Rabat, Morocco
Projected Additional Qualifiers
By the end of November 2025, the total number of qualified teams is expected to reach approximately 40-42 teams, with the following additions likely:
- 10-12 additional European nations completing automatic qualification
- 1 African nation through the CAF playoff tournament
- Potential qualification of teams through various confederation playoffs
The remaining spots will be determined through UEFA playoffs (March 2026) and inter-confederation playoffs (March 2026), bringing the final total to 48 teams for the expanded World Cup format.
November 2025 marks a pivotal moment in World Cup qualification, with European football’s traditional powerhouses seeking to join the already-qualified nations for football’s most prestigious tournament.
How many teams will qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
A1: A total of 48 teams will qualify, including the three host nations, Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The remaining 45 spots will be filled through continental qualification tournaments and playoffs.
Q2: When does the qualification process end?
A2: Most confederations conclude their qualification by November 2025. UEFA will finish its group stage by November 2025 and hold playoffs in March 2026. Inter-confederation playoffs are scheduled for March 2026.
How many teams qualify from each continent?
Slot allocation includes AFC (Asia) – 8 spots plus 1 playoff, CAF (Africa) – 9 spots plus 1 playoff, CONMEBOL (South America) – 6 spots plus 1 playoff, CONCACAF (North/Central America) – 3 spots plus 3 hosts and 2 playoffs, OFC (Oceania) – 1 spot plus 1 playoff, UEFA (Europe) – 16 spots.
What is the role of the intercontinental playoff?
The intercontinental playoffs in March 2026 will feature six teams from different confederations competing for the final two World Cup spots.
