Format, schedule and state of play for every Confederation as UEFA joins the social gathering

Historical past can be made at subsequent yr’s World Cup, with three nations taking part in host to the primary 48-team event.

Qualification for the Finals in North America obtained going a very long time in the past for 5 of the six confederations.

Nevertheless, as home soccer takes a backseat for a quick second, UEFA will be part of the social gathering as some European groups, together with England and Belgium, start their highway to qualification.

It’s the right second, then, for a crash course on how qualification works for each confederation and what number of groups they may ship to the revamped event.

It is England arrivals day! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿😄 pic.twitter.com/0oNz263eLy

— England (@England) March 17, 2025

AFC

The Asian confederation will see eight groups qualify instantly for the finals.

AFC qualifying is six video games into within the third-round stage, with the remaining 18 groups competing in three teams of six. The highest two groups in these teams will qualify for the World Cup, with the third and fourth-placed groups progressing to a fourth spherical.

Within the fourth spherical, which begins in October, these six groups can be divided into two teams of three, with the winner of every group reserving their spot within the event correct.

The 2 second-placed groups will face one another in a two-legged playoff in November for a spot within the inter-confederation playoffs.

The third spherical will conclude in June. Iran and Japan are each already certain of a minimum of a spot within the fourth spherical however might clinch a spot within the finals throughout this worldwide window.

CAF

The qualification course of in Africa is extra easy. 9 teams of six groups contest a spherical robin within the opening spherical. The 9 group winners qualify for the World Cup.

From there, the four-best ranked group runners-up will compete in a playoff, with the winner progressing to the inter-confederation playoffs.

The primary spherical, which continues to be in its comparatively early phases with 4 video games performed, will conclude in October, with the playoff going down a month later.

CONCACAF

Three CONCACAF groups are already certain of their place on the World Cup with the USA, Canada and Mexico on account of host the event. There are 30 groups competing to assert one of many three spots to hitch them.

CONCACAF qualifying is in its second-round stage, which can see the primary and second-placed groups from six teams of 5 advance into the third spherical after 4 round-robin matches.

The 12 groups that progress to the third spherical can be break up into three teams of 4 for double round-robin matches. The three group winners will punch their ticket to the World Cup, whereas the 2 top-ranked runners-up will head to the inter-confederation playoffs.

All sides has performed two second-round matches thus far. The subsequent such fixtures will happen in June, three months earlier than the beginning of the third spherical.

CONMEBOL

The great thing about CONMEBOL’s qualification course of is its simplicity, with 10 groups taking part in 18 double round-robin video games in opposition to one another.

The highest six qualify for the World Cup, with the seventh-placed crew advancing to the inter-confederation playoffs.

#SelecciónMayor ¡Buenos días, muchachos! 👋🏻 pic.twitter.com/TUHvLed33w

— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) March 17, 2025

Defending champions Argentina are within the field seat to qualify, having amassed 25 factors from 12 video games to steer the standings, although La Albiceleste do face Chile and arch rivals Brazil on this spherical of fixtures.

CONMEBOL qualification will conclude in September.

OFC

The smallest confederation is assured only one spot on the Finals, and the identification of that qualifier can be identified subsequent week.

The OFC is in its third and closing spherical of qualification, the method concluding with a three-match playoff between the 4 remaining groups.

On Thursday, New Caledonia will face Tahiti and New Zealand will tackle Fiji, with each video games going down in Wellington. The 2 semi-final winners then journey to Auckland to face off for a spot within the World Cup subsequent Tuesday. The loser will advance to the inter-confederation playoffs.

New Zealand are clearly the heavy favourites, their final defeat in OFC World Cup qualifying coming method again in 2008 once they misplaced 2-0 to Fiji.

Sky Stadium 📍🇳🇿 4 days to go 👀 pic.twitter.com/KWtEnmGzbt

— New Zealand Soccer 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) March 17, 2025

UEFA

UEFA has the biggest allocation of groups for the expanded finals. Sixteen groups from the European confederation will qualify for the finals.

Fifty-four groups have been drawn into 12 teams of 4 or 5, with the group winners securing qualification.

The dozen remaining group runners-up and the 4 greatest UEFA Nations League groups that didn’t end within the prime two of their qualifying group will go right into a second-round playoff format.

The groups can be drawn into 4 play-off paths that includes single-legged semi-finals and finals. The 4 path winners will qualify for the World Cup.

Teams G-L kick off on this window, with the remainder following go well with in September. The primary spherical concludes in November earlier than the second-round playoffs happen subsequent March.

Inter-confederation playoffs

The six groups that progress to the inter-confederation playoffs will contest a single-elimination event subsequent March.

The four-lowest ranked groups can be unseeded and face one another within the semifinals, and the winners of these ties will every tackle a seeded crew with a spot within the World Cup on the road.