World Cup 2026 Line-up Complete After Global Qualifying Marathon, with Iraq Taking Final Spot
ZURICH | By Sayer Zaland
The line-up for the FIFA World Cup 2026 has been finalized, with Iraq securing the final qualification spot to complete the historic 48-team tournament set to take place across North America.
Iraq booked their place with a victory over Bolivia in the FIFA play-off tournament in Monterrey, earning a spot in Group I alongside France, Senegal, and Norway. Their qualification brought an end to a global campaign that spanned 899 matches over 937 days.
In Europe, Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Türkiye, and Czechia claimed the remaining continental places through play-off victories, while DR Congo secured qualification by defeating Jamaica to join Group K.
The expanded tournament, the largest in FIFA World Cup history, will feature 104 matches across 16 host cities in Canada, the United States, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
With qualification now complete, attention shifts to the final tournament schedule and preparations, as more than six million fans are expected to attend and billions worldwide are set to follow the competition.