World Cup groups: What teams are in 2026 tournament?

World Cup groups: What teams are in 2026 tournament?

The 2026 World Cup is less than a month away, with the entire planet preparing for the tournament being held in North America this summer.

This edition of the World Cup includes a dramatic expansion from 32 to 48 teams, adding four new groups and a Round of 32 in the knockout stage that previously began with the last 16. The 2026 World Cup divides the 48 teams into 12 four-team groups (Groups A-L) with each country playing a game against the others in its group.

The expanded single-elimination knockout stage means that not only will the top two teams in each group advance, but also the eight best third-place finishers. There are nearly 500 possible matchups in the Round of 32 according to FIFA and there should be chaos in the final days of the group stage as teams jockey for position.

Here's a look at the groups for the World Cup:

Spain – 17th appearance

Brazil – 23rd appearance

United States of America – 12th appearance

Mexico – 18th appearance

England – 17th appearance

Portugal – ninth appearance

France – 17th appearance

Iran – seventh appearance

Switzerland – 13th appearance

Croatia – seventh appearance

Australia – seventh appearance

Morocco – seventh appearance

Austria – eighth appearance

Ecuador – fifth appearance

Senegal – fourth appearance

South Korea – 12th appearance

Japan – eighth appearance

Colombia – seventh appearance

Netherlands – 12th appearance

Germany – 21st appearance

Belgium – 15th appearance

Canada – third appearance

Saudi Arabia – seventh appearance

Uzbekistan – first appearance

Jordan – first appearance

Tunisia – seventh appearance

South Africa – fourth appearance

Ivory Coast – fourth appearance

Scotland – ninth appearance

Algeria – fifth appearance

New Zealand – third appearance

Paraguay – ninth appearance

Egypt – fourth appearance

Cape Verde – first appearance

Qatar – second appearance

Norway – fourth appearance

Panama – second appearance

Curacao – first appearance

Ghana – fifth appearance

Haiti – second appearance

1 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Spain – 17th appearance

1 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Spain – 17th appearance

2 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Brazil – 23rd appearance

3 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

United States of America – 12th appearance

4 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Mexico – 18th appearance

5 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

England – 17th appearance

6 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Portugal – ninth appearance

7 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

France – 17th appearance

8 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Iran – seventh appearance

9 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Switzerland – 13th appearance

10 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Croatia – seventh appearance

11 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Australia – seventh appearance

12 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Morocco – seventh appearance

13 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Austria – eighth appearance

14 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Ecuador – fifth appearance

15 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Senegal – fourth appearance

16 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

South Korea – 12th appearance

17 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Japan – eighth appearance

18 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Colombia – seventh appearance

19 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Netherlands – 12th appearance

20 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Germany – 21st appearance

21 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Belgium – 15th appearance

22 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Canada – third appearance

23 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Saudi Arabia – seventh appearance

24 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Uzbekistan – first appearance

25 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Jordan – first appearance

26 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Tunisia – seventh appearance

27 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

South Africa – fourth appearance

28 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Ivory Coast – fourth appearance

29 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Scotland – ninth appearance

30 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Algeria – fifth appearance

31 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

New Zealand – third appearance

32 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Paraguay – ninth appearance

33 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Egypt – fourth appearance

34 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Cape Verde – first appearance

35 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Qatar – second appearance

36 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Norway – fourth appearance

37 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Panama – second appearance

38 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Curacao – first appearance

39 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Ghana – fifth appearance

40 / 40

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Haiti – second appearance

2026 World Cup groups

Group A

• Mexico
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Czechia

Group B

• Canada
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Qatar
• Switzerland

Group C

• Brazil
• Morocco
• Haiti
• Scotland

Group D

• United States
• Paraguay
• Australia
• Turkey

Group E

• Germany
• Curacao
• Ivory Coast
• Ecuador

Group F

• Netherlands
• Japan
• Sweden
• Tunisia

Group G

• Belgium
• Egypt
• Iran
• New Zealand

Group H

• Spain
• Cape Verde
• Saudi Arabia
• Uruguay

Group I

• France
• Senegal
• Iraq
• Norway

Group J

• Argentina
• Algeria
• Austria
• Jordan

Group K

• Portugal
• DR Congo
• Uzbekistan
• Colombia

Group L

• England
• Croatia
• Ghana
• Panama

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: World Cup 2026 groups and teams list, standings and bracket