The 2026 FIFA World Cup set a record well before the first qualifying match occurred. Prior to the tournament, FIFA decided soccer's biggest global event needed to be even bigger.

There will be a record 48 teams playing during the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, up from 32 during the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Now, 32 teams will qualify for the single-elimination knockout stages of the tournament. There are four countries making their World Cup debut this year and several more returning after long absences, in part, because of the change.

This FIFA World Cup will initially be contested across 12 groups, with each country playing three matches in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group, as well as the top eight third-place teams based on record and tiebreakers, move on to the round of 32.

Here's a breakdown of all 48 teams playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup listed by their groups:

2026 FIFA World Cup teams

Group A

  • Mexico
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • Czechia

Group B

  • Canada
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Qatar
  • Switzerland

Group C

  • Brazil
  • Morocco
  • Haiti
  • Scotland

Group D

  • USA
  • Paraguay
  • Turkey
  • Australia

Group E

  • Germany
  • Curaçao
  • Ivory Coast
  • Ecuador

Group F

  • Netherlands
  • Japan
  • Sweden
  • Tunisia

Group G

  • Belgium
  • Egypt
  • Iran
  • New Zealand

Group H

  • Spain
  • Cabo Verde
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Uruguay

Group I

  • France
  • Senegal
  • Iraq
  • Norway

Group J

  • Argentina
  • Algeria
  • Austria
  • Jordan

Group K

  • Portugal
  • Congo
  • Uzbekistan
  • Colombia

Group L

  • England
  • Croatia
  • Ghana
  • Panama

Source: USA Today