The qualification process for the UEFA teams for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been adjusted due to the expansion of the tournament. In total, 16 European nations will qualify.
Here is a breakdown of how it works:
The Qualification Process
* Group Stage: The 54 UEFA national teams have been drawn into 12 groups, with groups consisting of either four or five teams.
* Direct Qualification: The 12 group winners will automatically qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
* Play-offs: The 12 group runners-up will advance to the play-offs. They will be joined by the four best-ranked group winners from the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League who did not finish in the top two of their World Cup qualification group. These 16 teams will be divided into four play-off paths, with a single-leg semi-final and a single-leg final in each path, to determine the final four European spots for the World Cup.
Status of France and Portugal
Some of the major European teams, including France and Portugal, were placed in smaller groups (four teams) and started their qualification campaigns later than others.
* France: France is in Group D along with Ukraine, Iceland, and Azerbaijan. They are just beginning their qualifying matches in September 2025.
* Portugal: Portugal is in Group F with Hungary, the Republic of Ireland, and Armenia. They also began their qualification campaign in September 2025.
Since their campaigns are just starting, their final qualification status is still to be determined by their performance in these group matches. The group stage for all teams will conclude in November 2025.
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