1 to 48: USA/MEX/CAN Qualification Watch

1-3: United States Mexico Canada With all the qualification matches concluded for 2024, it’s time to bring back this thread for the upcoming WC to keep track of the teams that qualify. So far, I have Japan as the only country who can qualify in the next FIFA match date, if they win OR they do not lose and Saudi Arabia vs China ends in a draw. Iran can qualify if they get four points in March, with 3 of those coming against the UAE. Also, the OFC winner will be decided in March Looking forward to adding more teams to this list. Cheers!

4. JapanWorld Cup 2026: Japan become first team to qualify for tournament - ESPN

Argentina will qualify with a W or D against Brazil or even before the game starts if Bolivia fails to beat Uruguay at home.

It is a hard situation to handle unless you merge AFC and OFC. When Australia left OFC, it was obvious that everybody except New Zealand would be below average. While New Zealand could be one of the worst teams in the World Cup, they did go undefeated in World Cup 2010, and were eliminated after 3 draws. They finished above Italy. New Caledonia became the first team to clinch a playoff spot. The team that gets drawn against them will be lucky, but will have to beat a better team to qualify. The six playoff teams are divided in half, with each half having the best FIFA Ranking team in a Final and the other two teams playing first. Those games are in March 2026, which will be after the draw.

📰 Today's headlines from CAF #FIFAWorldCup qualifying...#WeAre26— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 19, 2025

4. Japan

Cameroon's 0-0 draw with bottom-ranked Estwatini is an eye-catching result and further evidence of the narrowing gap between tier 1 CAF teams and the rest.

Cameroon's 0-0 draw with bottom-ranked Estwatini is an eye-catching result and further evidence of the narrowing gap between tier 1 CAF teams and the rest.A lot of the bottom teams in CAF are just more organized when it comes to paking the bus. They aren't really "improving" per say as in all aspects of the game. Eswatini lost all 4 previous WC matches. A lot of the top African sides struggle against bunkering teams. They need space to operate to their full capacity. They need to be more dynamic in attack. It's why teams like Nigeria will struggle more against minnows than stronger teams.

I'm sorry but Oceania still don't deserve an automatic place in the WC. When a team scores 29 and allows 1 on the way to qualifying something's broken.

Yeah, I think Japan is the only country in Asia that can mathematically qualify this window. You basically have to be 13 points clear of 3rd to guarantee it. There's going to be weird scenarios that may make it possible for Iran or South Korea to do so, but won't think about it until at least the first games of the window are done.I mean Japan is the easiest because it's win and in but Iran and SK can also qualify without depending on external results Iran qualifies with a win of any result against UAE because that would put them 9 points clear of Uzbekistan and UAE who still need to play against each other with 3 remaining games left, so there's no way that both of them can surpass and leave Iran in 3rd South Korea also mathematically qualifies with 2 wins this window Iraq and Uzbekistan need wins + waiting for other results

South Korea concede a late equalizer to Oman, but even so, they can still qualify on Tuesday if Jordan drops points to Palestine today, and the Reds beat Jordan. That would put them at 18 points, out of reach of everyone except Iraq. Iraq could also qualify on Tuesday if the following happen: - Iraq beats Kuwait and Palestine - Jordan loses or draws to Palestine - South Korea beats Jordan

OFC isn't a region, it's a Confederation. Every Confederation should have a representative at the World Cup.That would be the "technicalities of FIFA politics" that I was alluding to at the beginning of that post, no? Your opinion is that every extant confederation should be represented in the WC. I do not agree with this position. The existence of OFC as a confederation is purely a matter of logistical and administrative convenience. I do not see why the allocation of WC slots should be influenced by this administrative detail (though I understand the political realities of FIFA that make it so). Even if you want to play the geography game, Oceania is a "continent" in precisely the same way that the Caribbean is, which is to say, it is not one. Your position is not totally illogical either, but I would appreciate it if you would not twist the argument I was making. At any rate, NZ's more-or-less default slot at all future WCs is not the biggest issue in the world at this point with the expansion of the overall field, even if folks like me would maintain that, for all practical purposes, Australia could already be more or less considered the Oceanian representation at the WC anyway.

Iran can’t qualify on the 20th, but if they win AND both Qatar and Uzbekistan drop points, all Iran would need to clinch on the 26th is a draw. Uzbekistan plays both the UAE and Qatar in June, which complicate scenarios South Korea can’t qualify on the 20th, either, but two wins should seal their spot Japan needs only a win on the 20th against Bahrain to qualify. If they draw, then a Saudi Arabia/China draw is necessary for them to qualify on Thursday. That would make sure that only one of Australia/Indonesia could tie/surpass Japan at 17

Apparently, the countries that can qualify in this March matchday are: AFC: Japan South Korea Iran Uzbekistan Iraq CONMEBOL: Argentina Uruguay OFC: One of New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti or New Caledonia CAF: Morocco* *If they win their 2 games and the remaining Congo matches are not played.

Yeah, I think Japan is the only country in Asia that can mathematically qualify this window. You basically have to be 13 points clear of 3rd to guarantee it. There's going to be weird scenarios that may make it possible for Iran or South Korea to do so, but won't think about it until at least the first games of the window are done. In South America, teams also need to be 13 points clear but in theory 12 may be enough based on who plays who left. It would not surprise me if Ecuador or Colombia could be in after this window but I'm not willing to do that math. Also this is Venezuela's second game vs Peru is must win. Bolivia plays Peru in the first game, so they will know what they need. We could very well basically know

Argentina is assured qualification if they win both matches. They can also qualify winning in the first game if other results go in their way like Paraguay losing against Chile.