The 2026 World Cup will have a record 48 teams, and Japan became the first nation excluding the three hosts to secure a spot. Other teams could follow in the current international window. Next year's tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada kicks off on June 11 and the final will take place on July 19.

As host nations, the United States, Mexico and Canada automatically qualify for the tournament. In the March 2025 window, we started seeing non-host nations qualify for the World Cup. The first to accomplish this feat was Japan on March 20. By the end of the March qualification window, four more had punched their tickets.

FIFA World Cup is on the horizon with next summer’s showpiece set to be an incredible spectacle.For the first time, the tournament will feature 48 teams in an expanded format. There are