The latest round of qualifiers around the globe for the FIFA World Cup 2026 has seen the number of entrants rise to 28.
Published On 14 Oct 202514 Oct 2025
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Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at some of the best photos from the nations that confirmed their qualification on Wednesday for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Ghana are the 21st team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup – and at least six more of the 48 places will be decided this week.
Asia and Africa are where all of the latest guaranteed spots will come from, with two from Asia and four more from Africa up for grabs.
Ghana booked their spot thanks to a 1-0 win over Comoros with Tottenham’s Mohammed Kudus claiming the only goal.
Mohamed Salah scored twice on Wednesday as Egypt beat Djibouti 3-0 to seal their place at a fourth World Cup.
Algeria joined them on Thursday with Riyad Mahrez scoring in a 3-0 Group G win over bottom side Somalia.
While no countries in North and Central America or Europe are guaranteed to qualify this month, it is mathematically possible for some countries to do so.
Four European nations could book their place this week – England, Portugal, Switzerland and France.
Thomas Tuchel’s men will qualify with victory over Latvia on Tuesday, while the other three must rely on other results too.
Croatia are all but there, sitting three points above the Czech Republic with a far superior goal difference.
Joint-hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States were all granted automatic qualification for the World Cup.
Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea and Uzbekistan have already qualified from Asia.
Oceania’s one direct qualification spot has been taken by New Zealand.
Tunisia and Morocco were the first two African sides to go through, before three more joined them this week.
Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay and Colombia are the South American nations currently guaranteed a place.
Uzbekistan and Jordan will also be playing at a World Cup finals for the first time.
While they have not qualified for the tournament in full, Bolivia and New Caledonia are two of the six nations confirmed to take part in the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026.
Teams through to 2026 World Cup
Hosts: Canada, Mexico, United States.
Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Uzbekistan.
Oceania: New Zealand.
South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay.
Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Tunisia.
STRICTLY Come Dancing could be embroiled in a new ‘fix’ row after Dani Dyer claimed she was a ‘qualified dancer’.
Dani Dyer was the second celebrity contestant confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2025, with the announcment being made on The One Show earlier this week.
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Dani, 29, shot to fame when she won Love Island in 2018 – with her new reality stint very different to the dating show.
The daughter of EastEnders actor Danny Dyer will waltz her way around the ballroom in September when she joins the cast of the hit series.
But now it has been revealed that in an unearthed passage from her autobiography, Dani boasted about being a “qualified dancer”.
She said in her 2019 book that she would put “qualified dancer” under the list of qualifications on her CV.
Writing in her book, which came out six years ago, Dani wrote about how she went to theatre school at weekends from the age of 2 to 14.
“It was called O’Farrell’s Stage School and I was a really good little dancer,” she said.
Dani added: “I’m not a bad singer but it was the dance stuff I loved more – jazz, tap, ballet, modern. I’d get home and prance around the house.”
Elsewhere in the book she writes up a mock CV where she states her qualifications include: “Qualified dancer and pretty good at singing (especially Dua Lipa or Ariana Grande at the top of her voice while cleaning the kitchen).”
She also spoke about Strictly in her book, saying how she would jump at the chance of being asked to compete on the hit reality dancing competition.
“If Strictly Come Dancing want to give me a call I’d also be happy to be whisked around the dance floor,” she penned at the time.
At the time of her book coming out, Dani was all loved up with then-beau Jack Fincham, and she said of Strictly: “The only thing I’d be worried about would be the curse.”
In her book from several years ago, Dani also swooned about her bond with Shirley Ballas.
Bonding with her on a trek for Comic Relief, Dani said she was “just the most graceful, lovely person”.
But despite admitting her prior dance experience, fans are still excited to see Dani storm the ballroom.
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Reacting to the news of Dani being confirmed for the series, one person on X said: “Woooo I love Dani!!!”
“Whoop I love Dani! She’ll be awesome,” penned a second.
The Sun has contacted Strictly for comment but they did not immediately respond.
Dani is not the only star in Strictly history to have had their background in the world of showbiz scrutinised.
Tasha Ghouri, also from Love Island, had her background in dance.
The star who appeared on the series last year faced a backlash for being a trained dancer and branded the show a “fix” because they signed her up.
Actress Sarah Hadland and JLS’ JB Gill were also accused of having advantages on the show because of their backgrounds and prior careers.
But despite all of their experience, nor Tasha, Sarah or JB won the show.
Gladiator Nitro‘s signing for Strictly was shortly followed by the announcement of three more contestants – Love Island star Dani, Doctor Who actress Alex Kingston and former footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink were then revealed.
EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal, who plays the role of Suki Panesar in the hit soap, was then confirmed on Tuesday morning.
With YouTuber George Clarke unveiled on Tuesday afternoon on BBC Radio 1.
Model Ellie Goldstein, who has Down syndrome, was then the seventh celebrity revealed to be waltzing their way onto the dance floor next month, in the groundbreaking signing.
RuPaul‘s Drag Race UK star La Voix was then the next confirmed star to be announced.
And former England rugby union player and captain Chris Robshaw has also been confirmed this week.
The following stars are rumoured to be taking part in Strictly – plus scroll to see who has been confirmed
Angellica Bell: A familiar face on British television, Angellica is a seasoned TV presenter known for her work on shows like CBBC and The One Show. She’s no stranger to reality TV, having recently appeared on Celebrity Big Brother.
Paul C. Brunson: The charismatic relationship expert and matchmaker from Married At First Sight UK, Paul is known for his insightful advice and warm personality. Swapping the sofa for the samba, he’s tipped to bring a touch of class and intelligence to the competition.
Vicky Pattison: A reality TV stalwart who first found fame on Geordie Shore, Vicky has successfully transitioned into a presenter and author. Having supported her friend Pete Wicks on the show last year, it seems she’s ready to put on her own dancing shoes.
Ashley Cain: Former footballer and reality TV star from Ex on the Beach, Ashley has more recently become known for his incredible charity work and campaigning.
Stacey Solomon: Known for her down-to-earth charm and successful BBC shows like Sort Your Life Out, fans are eager to see if she can translate her infectious energy to the ballroom.
Georgia Toffolo: Best known as “Toff” from Made in Chelsea and for winning I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2017, Georgia is a seasoned reality TV star.
Thomas Skinner: The lively entrepreneur who became a fan favourite on The Apprentice in 2019, Thomas is known for his larger-than-life personality and catchphrase “Bosh!”. Despite admitting to no dancing experience, he’s reportedly “up for giving it his best shot.”
Tom Parker Bowles: The renowned food writer and critic, and son of Queen Camilla, is a surprising but intriguing name on the rumour list. A regular on MasterChef, it remains to be seen if his culinary precision translates to ballroom finesse.
Sir Mo Farah: The legendary Olympic long-distance runner is considered a national treasure.
Balvinder Sopal: The talented actress known for her role as Suki Panesar in EastEnders, Balvinder would follow a long line of successful soap stars on Strictly.
Jake Brown: The winner of The Traitors series three, Jake’s name has emerged as a potential contestant.
Stefan Dennis: The actor, 66, has played six-times married Ramsay Street lothario Paul Robinson since the first episode in 1985 and now the soap is coming to an end, his schedule is clear.
Confirmed Strictly 2025 stars:
Ellie Goldstein – Vogue cover model Ellie is the first contestant with Down syndrome to take part in a full Strictly series. As well as her modelling work, she is known for CBBC.
George Clarke – Social media star George was the sixth person to be revealed. The influencer isn’t the first YouTube star to appear, and follows Saffron Barker and Joe Suggs,
Balvinder Sopal – The soap star is the latest EastEnders cast member to sign up to the show. The actress is known for playing Walford matriarch Suki Panesar.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: The former Premier League football striker, famous for his time at Leeds and Chelsea, is another sporting name being linked.
Alex Kingston – Actress Alex has joined the line-up and his hoping to emulate the success of her friend Sarah Hadland last year. She is best known for shows like Doctor Who, EastEnders and ER.
Dani Dyer: Rising to fame as the winner of Love Island in 2018, Dani has remained in the public eye with various TV appearances. The daughter of actor Danny Dyer, she’s reportedly agreed to take part.
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey: Known as “Nitro” from the BBC’s Gladiators reboot and a former Team GB sprinter, Harry has already shown off some moves on the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special.
EXPLAINER
Holders England face Italy while world champions Spain take on Germany as the Women’s Euro enters its final week.
A last-minute winner, two thrilling shootouts, missed penalties and countless saves – the quarterfinals of the UEFA Women’s Euro delivered everything one could ask for.
The drama now rolls on to the final week with four teams left in the hunt for the European crown.
Here’s how the Euro 2025 semifinals line up:
When: Tuesday at 9pm (19:00 GMT)
Where: Stade de Geneve, Geneva
A long-cherished dream became a reality for Italy on Wednesday when captain Cristiana Girelli’s 90th-minute header ended their 28-year wait for a place in the semifinals of the Women’s European championships.
Coming into the contest as the underdogs, Italy stunned Norway 2-1 as Girelli scored twice while Ada Hegerberg netted once for the Norwegians after missing a penalty for the second time in this year’s tournament.
“I felt something different, something special. I have seen in the eyes of my teammates a special light,” the 35-year-old Girelli said after the game. “If you have a flame, you have to continue to live. We suffered a lot, but we fought until the end.”
Their fairytale run now faces its next test against holders England, who snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, winning 3-2 in a dramatic penalty shootout against Sweden on Thursday.
Eleven minutes from full-time the Lionesses – trailing 2-0 and on the brink of elimination – mounted a rapid comeback, scoring two goals in two minutes to send the match into extra time.
In the penalty shootout, which featured 14 attempts, defender Lucy Bronze slammed her spot kick into the roof of the net as the seventh penalty taker, and goalkeeper Hannah Hampton made two saves as England coach Sarina Wiegman breathed a sigh of relief as her side qualified for the final four at Euro 2025.
“It was hard. One of the hardest games I’ve ever watched. Very emotional. We could’ve been out four or five times during the game,” Wiegman said.
England are unbeaten in their last five matches against Italy, all friendlies, with four of those ending in victories. The winner of the first semifinal will face either Spain or Germany in the final.
When: Wednesday at 9pm (19:00 GMT)
Where: Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich
Spain kept their quest for a maiden Women’s Euro title alive by knocking out hosts Switzerland 2-0 in Friday’s quarterfinal despite failing twice from the penalty spot.
The world champions were made to work hard against a stubborn Swiss defence in the first half before super sub Athenea del Castillo scored the opener shortly after the hour mark, and Claudia Pina doubled the lead with a superb curling effort. Spain’s victory kept their 100 percent winning record at Euro 2025 intact.
“Maybe we’d prefer to face Germany again because of what happened at the Olympics,” del Castillo said after the match, referring to their 1-0 defeat to Germany in the bronze medal match at Paris 2024.
Athenea may just get the revenge she hinted at: Germany are through, and Spain will now meet their Olympic nemesis in the semifinals.
The Germans defeated France 6-5 on penalties in Saturday’s thrilling semifinal, pulling off a superb comeback from a goal down despite playing with 10 players for most of the match. In the 13th minute, German midfielder Kathrin Hendrich was issued a straight red card after she pulled the hair of France captain Griedge Mbock.
With the match tied 1-1 after extra time, the contest was decided on penalties. Germany’s goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was the hero, firing home from a crucial spot kick herself before pulling off a decisive penalty save to seal the upset victory against France.
“There is a very hard and tough opponent [Spain] we have to face [in the final]. Everybody really gave their ultimate effort here, and we need to regenerate. We have to make sure we recover,” said the 34-year-old Berger, who produced a string of outstanding saves throughout the match.
Germany are unbeaten in eight meetings with Spain, winning five and drawing three with a goal count of 18-3.
With close to half a million fans attending the group-stage games, the UEFA Women’s Euros has attracted attention like never before.
Now, the spotlight shifts to the knockout stages, where the stakes are high and the pressure even higher.
Eight teams remain in contention to lift the trophy, with hosts Switzerland reaching the quarterfinals for the first time. World champions Spain have lived up to their billing as the team to beat at the competition, while holders England advanced after overcoming an early scare.
Here’s how the Euro 2025 quarterfinals line up:
When: Wednesday, July 16 at 9pm (19:00 GMT)
Where: Stade de Geneve, Geneva
With a perfect nine points, Norway finished on top of Group A as expected, but they lack cohesion. The two-time European champions conceded five goals in the opening round – the most among the table toppers of the four groups.
Nonetheless, the experienced duo of striker Ada Hegerberg and winger Caroline Graham Hansen has proven to be vital for the Norwegians, who have an excellent opportunity for a deep run with Italy their quarterfinal opponent.
The Italians, who finished second in Group B, will be playing in the knockouts for the first time since 2013. Top-four finishers at six of the first seven Euro tournaments, Le Azzure have endured a barren spell since and have made the knockout round only twice in the 21st century.
But after surviving a tricky group stage – registering a win, a draw and a defeat – the Italians believe their best football is ahead of them in the last-eight.
“We have a great desire to do well, to continue dreaming, to continue writing important pages of a story that is only at the beginning,” midfielder Annamaria Serturini said before the quarterfinals.
The winner of this match will face either Sweden or England in the semifinals.
When: Thursday, July 17 at 9pm (19:00 GMT)
Where: Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich
After an opening match defeat which raised serious doubts about their title defence, England bounced back in style with consecutive statement wins, reaffirming their status as one of the heavyweights.
Thanks to the attacking prowess of Lauren James, Ella Toone and Georgia Stanway, the holders scored a combined 10 goals in their last two matches, finishing second in Group D.
In the quarterfinals, the Lionesses will be up against familiar foes, Sweden, whom they smashed 4-0 at the same stage during their Euro 2022-winning campaign.
“Sweden are a fantastic team, they’re relentless in the way they go about their game,” England captain Leah Williamson said.
“I think they sort of avoid the expectation of every tournament, and nobody really talks about them, [which is] slightly disrespectful, I think, because they always show up. They always seem to pose a threat to most teams, and normally come out with a medal or [be] a semifinal team, so they’re a strong team. We’re looking forward to the fixture.”
The Swedes laid down a marker with a sensational 4-1 win against a powerful Germany outfit on July 12, sealing the top spot in Group C and laying the groundwork for a revenge victory against England in Thursday’s quarterfinal in Zurich.
When: Friday, July 18 at 9pm (19:00 GMT)
Where: Stadion Wankdorf, Bern
Playing in the Euro knockout stage for the first time, hosts Switzerland face their biggest test yet against reigning world champions and title favourites Spain.
La Roja, who topped Group B with three wins in as many games, looked unstoppable in the opening round, scoring a tournament-high 14 goals while conceding just three.
Twice Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas once again grabbed the spotlight with three goals and four assists, while striker Esther Gonzalez has led the scoring charts with four goals.
Switzerland, who finished second in Group A, are the underdogs in this contest but will undoubtedly count on passionate home nation support in Bern as their youthful side strives for an unlikely upset.
“I think none of us expected things to happen in Switzerland – sold out crowds… Everything is blowing up way bigger than we ever expected,” Swiss captain Lia Walti said.
“We couldn’t even imagine having this when we were little,” added defender Viola Calligaris. “And now it’s like this for every match. We felt the people cheering – that really gives you strength.”
The winner of this match will face France or Germany in the semifinals.
When: Saturday, July 19 at 9pm (19:00 GMT)
Where: St Jakob-Park, Basel
France enter the quarterfinals in scintillating form, advancing as table toppers in what many had dubbed the “group of death”.
Scoring 11 times in the opening round, including a 5-2 thrashing of the highly-touted Netherlands outfit, France proved why they are the dark horses at this year’s tournament. Attacking winger Delphine Cascarino and striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto are both in stupendous form and have scored two goals a piece in the group stage.
“When it comes to Germany, it’s a very big nation,” Cascarino said. “They won several trophies and they have already knocked out others, so we know it’s going to be a great game… we’re going to try to find the cracks and win.”
For the eight-time record champions Germany, who finished second in Group C, defensive frailties remain a concern, especially after their 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Sweden in the last group match.
The last time these sides clashed was in February 2024 with France defeating Germany 2-1 to reach the first UEFA Women’s Nations League final. A victory on Saturday would also avenge France’s painful defeat to Germany in the Euro 2022 semifinals.
An epic all-European clash and an upstart Brazilian side takes on London’s finest in the final four.
Three European teams and one from South America have their sights set on the FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) 2025 trophy as the tournament enters the semifinal stage on Tuesday.
The final two clubs qualified for the final four on Saturday. UEFA Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) spectacularly defeated Bayern Munich 2-0 in the quarterfinals despite being reduced to nine men. Five-time CWC winners Real Madrid played out a five-goal thriller to beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 to seal their semifinal spot.
Here’s how the Club World Cup semifinals line up:
When: Tuesday at 3pm (19:00 GMT)
Where: MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
The opening semifinal pitches Brazil’s Fluminense against English Premier League side Chelsea.
Fluminense continue to impress at the CWC with goals from Matheus Martinelli and Hercules securing their place in the last four with a 2-1 win against Al Hilal in Orlando, Florida.
Chelsea scored the go-ahead goal on Malo Gusto’s 83rd-minute shot, which went in after a pair of deflections, beating Palmeiras 2-1 on Friday night to secure their spot in the semifinals.
Cole Palmer put Chelsea ahead in the 16th minute, but Estevao, an 18-year-old who will transfer to Chelsea after the CWC, tied the score against his future club in the 53rd. Gusto’s match-winning shot after a short corner kick that appeared to deflect off defender Agustin Giay and goalkeeper Weverton sent the Chelsea fans among the 65,782 spectators into a frenzy.
The match will take place at the 88,000-seat MetLife Stadium just outside New York City.
When: Wednesday at 3pm (19:00 GMT)
Where: MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
The second semifinal features a mouthwatering European heavyweight matchup between PSG and Real Madrid.
Nine-man Paris Saint-Germain advanced after defeating Bayern Munich 2-0 with goals from Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele keeping the French side on track to achieve a historic quadruple of major titles in one season.
Luis Enrique’s side needed to dig deep in front of 67,000 fans at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, after late red cards for Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez.
Meanwhile, Gonzalo Garcia scored his fourth goal of the Club World Cup and Kylian Mbappe his first as Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in the final quarterfinal on Saturday.
Garcia put Madrid ahead from close range early on during a hot afternoon at the MetLife Stadium, and Fran Garcia then doubled their lead before the midway point.
Dortmund never seriously threatened a comeback before a remarkable late flurry of activity with Maximilian Beier pulling one back in the 93rd minute and superstar forward Mbappe registering Madrid’s third goal with a stunning overhead kick.
Mbappe, who has battled illness for most of the CWC, will face his previous club PSG for the first time since he departed the Paris-based side for Real Madrid in June 2024.
The final will be played on Sunday at the MetLife Stadium, which will also the venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
The winning team in the Club World Cup could pocket as much as $125m in prize money.
The #FIFACWC final four…
BUY TICKETS | https://t.co/QE1Z92ZlhG pic.twitter.com/Qnyji7YLE0
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) July 5, 2025
EXPLAINER
Two all-European clashes, Brazilian flair and a Saudi surprise form the last-eight clashes of the Club World Cup.
Eight teams from across three continents have their sights set on the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 trophy as the tournament enters the second stage of its knockout matches.
After an extra-time thriller, two major upsets, three close encounters and two thumping wins, the quarterfinal lineup for the tournament has been completed as Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund became the last two teams to seal their spots.
The last-eight stage pits four European giants against each other, provides a Middle Eastern club the chance to build on their deserved success and two Brazilian teams the opportunity to take the continent further.
Here’s how the Club World Cup quarterfinal lineup looks:
When: Friday, July 4 at 3pm (19:00 GMT)
Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Emotions will run high and the stands will be replete with colour and noise when one of Brazil’s oldest football clubs take on Saudi Arabia’s football giants Al Hilal at the 65,000-capacity venue in Florida.
Al Hilal will ride on the high of beating the tournament’s defending champions Manchester City 4-3 in an extra-time thriller in one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history on Tuesday.
Their Brazilian opponents, too, achieved similar success as they ousted Italian giants and UEFA Champions League finalists Inter Milan in a 2-0 win.
There will be no lack of noise and colour when fans of the two underdogs descend upon the Camping World Stadium on Friday.
When: Friday, July 4 at 9pm (01:00 GMT, July 5 )
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Palmeiras, the second Brazilian club to enter the quarterfinals, will face the former English champions Chelsea in Friday’s second quarterfinal in Philadelphia.
Runners-up in the last season of Serie A, the top tier of Brazil’s club football, Palmeiras beat compatriots Botafogo in a heated clash in the round of 16 and have been one of the strongest defensive lineups in the tournament.
Their opponents, who won the Club World Cup in 2021, will look to move past a disappointing season at home and enter the business end of the competition for a chance to lift a trophy.
The last-eight clash will be the final match held at the 69,000-capacity Lincoln Field stadium.
The winner will face the team that emerges victorious from the Al Hilal vs Fluminense match in the first semifinal.
When: Saturday, July 5 at 12pm (16:00 GMT)
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Arguably, the biggest clash of the quarterfinals pits two of the three title favourites remaining in the competition.
A win over German giants Bayern will consolidate European champions PSG‘s pedigree as one of the biggest clubs in the world and offer them a chance to complete a sensational season quadruple.
Bayern are the joint top goal-scoring team in the competition, with 16 goals in their four games so far, but their attack will be tested against the French champions at the 75,000-capacity stadium in Georgia.
When: Saturday, July 5 at 4pm (20:00 GMT)
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
The undisputed kings of the Club World Cup will come face-to-face with the German team that consistently finds itself amongst the best European clubs.
Real have welcomed back their star forward Kylian Mbappe and will hope he returns to his goalscoring form in a tough last-eight clash against a talented Dortmund team.
The match at the tournament’s biggest stadium and the venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final will provide a test for the organisers, whether they can fill up a huge stadium with fans of one of the most widely followed clubs in the world.
The winner of this clash will meet the winner of the PSG-Bayern match in the second semifinal.
Next up: #FIFACWC Quarter-Finals. 🔜 pic.twitter.com/T49Cj3bOOy
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) July 2, 2025
EXPLAINER
What do PSG, Real Madrid and Inter Miami need? Can Al Hilal and Sundowns still qualify? Al Jazeera explains.
All teams at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 have played two games each, and at the end of matchday two, five clubs have already booked their spots in the tournament’s round of 16.
Famous clubs such as Bayern Munich and Manchester City are among those to clinch qualification, but the likes of European giants Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain still need a final push to seal a place in the knockouts.
Al Jazeera Sport explains which teams are in and which are out, while breaking down the scenarios under which some of the comparatively smaller clubs could squeeze through.
With two wins out of two and six points in the bag, these five clubs can breathe easy:
After losing their first two games, the journey has ended for seven clubs:
In case of a tie on points, the teams progressing to the knockouts will be determined on a set of tie-breakers. Should the first step result in another tie, the next tie-breaker will be employed until a winner is decided. These steps are:
While the Lionel Messi-led side and the four European giants remain favourites to enter the second round of the competition, the following clubs still have some work left to do before they can progress.
Yes, all four clubs have at least two points from their first two games, giving them a promising shot at qualification.
Al Hilal and Monterrey also have two points from their two drawn games. The Saudi club face the ousted Mexican side Pachuca for a chance to score a big win and then hope that their superior goal difference can see them through, irrespective of the result in the other Group H game. Monterrey are in the same boat and will have the same requirements from their game against Urawa.
The Sundowns have lit up the Club World Cup with their skills and colourful celebrations, but it will not be fun and games when they play Brazil’s Fluminense for a chance to qualify. A win, resulting in six points, will be enough for the South African club, but a draw, leading to four points, might kick them out as German giants Borussia Dortmund, on four points, are highly unlikely to lose against Ulsan in their last Group F match.
ES Tunis are in a straight winner-goes-through shootout with Chelsea, as a draw will not be enough for the Tunisian club, given their poorer goal difference.
Five-time champions Brazil have confirmed their participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup by defeating Paraguay 1-0, thanks to a goal by star forward Vinicius Jr in front of a jubilant home crowd in Sao Paulo.
Playing under new head coach Carlo Ancelotti, the Selecao went ahead at the stroke of half-time when the Real Madrid star found the net, much to the delight of the 46,000 fans at the Corinthians Arena on Tuesday.
In other major World Cup qualifying results, war-torn Palestine were left heartbroken when Oman drew level against them from a penalty converted deep into stoppage time in their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifying match in Amman, Jordan.
Palestine have been playing their international fixtures at neutral venues, including Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar. Israel’s war on Gaza, its control and destruction of sports facilities and venues in Gaza and the occupied West Bank have left the players unable to travel and play at their home venue, the Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium in ar-Ram, a town northeast of occupied Jerusalem.
Needing a win to reach the fourth round of the AFC qualifiers, Palestine led the home side through Oday Kharoub’s goal at the end of the first half.
The Al-Fidai seemed to have done enough until they conceded a penalty in the last moments of the match, and Essam al-Subhi’s spot kick in the 97th minute ended the game in a draw, crushing the Palestinian dream of having another shot at qualification by proceeding to the fourth round.
Oman have now taken up that spot.
After the latest round of qualifying matches, here is a breakdown of the confirmed contenders from each of the six regions:
Africa: None of the 54 nations involved in the qualifiers has been able to confirm their spots as the first round of qualifying matches does not conclude until October 16.
Asia: Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, Australia, Japan.
Europe: None. Similar to Africa, none of the 54 European teams vying for 16 qualification spots have confirmed their berths as their first-round matches will run until November 18.
North, Central American and Caribbean region: Canada, Mexico and USA. With the World Cup host nations taking three spots, only three are left up for grabs and will be decided on November 18.
Oceania: New Zealand. With one spot up for grabs and 11 nations fighting for it, New Zealand emerged victorious and took the spot by winning the third-round playoff final against New Caledonia on March 24.
South America: Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador.
Chile, third-place finishers in 1962, are among the biggest names confirmed out of the next World Cup.
While China are not considered among the football powerhouses in Asia, the nation’s focus on building the game at home and seeing its team in another World Cup since 2002 was crushed on June 5.
Apart from the nine African and 16 European spots still fully up for grabs, the others that are still in the race for a World Cup spot are:
Asia: Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Iraq, and Oman are vying for the two direct qualification slots for the World Cup and one intercontinental playoffs spot.
South America: Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia, Venezuela and Bolivia will fight for the three remaining World Cup slots, while Peru can only advance to the intercontinental playoffs.
North, Central American and Caribbean region: Honduras, Bermuda, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, Curacao, Haiti, Panama, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Guatemala, Suriname and El Salvador have all advanced to the third round, from where three teams will directly qualify for the World Cup. The three second-placed teams from each group will then fight for the intercontinental playoffs spot.
Oceania: New Caledonia have qualified for the intercontinental playoffs.
As late as March 31, 2026. With the European qualification rounds stretching to March and the intercontinental playoff final also scheduled for the same month, we will not know our final 48 teams for the World Cup until less than three months ahead of the tournament.
The tournament begins in Mexico City on June 11 and ends with the final in New Jersey on July 19.
The 32 teams are confirmed before the June 14 tournament start with Real Madrid, PSG and Inter Miami among the big names.
The revamped 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, to be held from June 14 to July 13 in the United States, features a record number of teams taking part.
Thirty-two clubs drawn from six FIFA confederations are allocated into eight groups of four, and each team will play three group stage matches in a round-robin format.
The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage, starting with the round of 16 and culminating with the final, to be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The last two champions of the tournament – Manchester City (2023) and Real Madrid (2022) – headline a long list of top-flight clubs from around the globe incentivised by the record $1bn prize purse spread between the confederations and the clubs.
The club that emerges as champions could take home up to $125m.
The 32 teams heading to the #FIFACWC 🔜
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 1, 2025
⚽ Group A:
Palmeiras (Brazil)
Porto (Portugal)
Al Ahly (Egypt)
Inter Miami (US)
⚽ Group B:
Paris Saint-Germain (France)
Atletico Madrid (Spain)
Botafogo (Brazil)
Seattle Sounders (US)
⚽ Group C:
Bayern Munich (Germany)
Auckland City (New Zealand)
Boca Juniors (Argentina)
Benfica (Portugal)
⚽ Group D:
Flamengo (Brazil)
ES Tunis (Tunisia)
Chelsea (United Kingdom)
LAFC (US)
⚽ Group E:
River Plate (Argentina)
Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan)
Monterrey (Mexico)
Inter Milan (Italy)
⚽ Group F:
Fluminense (Brazil)
Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
Ulsan HD FC (South Korea)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
⚽ Group G:
Manchester City (UK)
Wydad (Morocco)
Al Ain (United Arab Emirates)
Juventus (Italy)
⚽ Group H:
Real Madrid (Spain)
Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Pachuca (Mexico)
FC Salzburg (Austria)
