Uzbekistan & Jordan qualify for first World Cups - who else is through?

Uzbekistan and Jordan person qualified for their first World Cups, while South Korea person besides secured their spot astatine nan tournament.

They go nan eighth, ninth and 10th teams to corroborate their spots astatine nan expanded 48-team tourney successful United States, Canada and Mexico successful 2026.

The 3 hosts person qualified automatically, while nan latest trio to suffice subordinate Japan, New Zealand, Iran and Argentina.

Uzbekistan drew 0-0 pinch nan United Arab Emirates while South Korea hit Iraq 2-0 later successful nan time to suffice for their 11th consecutive World Cup, a consequence that meant Jordan's 3-0 triumph against Oman confirmed their historical qualification.

Ranked 57th successful nan world and, pinch a organization of 36 million, Uzbekistan played their first lucifer arsenic a sovereign federation successful June 1992 aft leaving nan Soviet Union, and were accepted by world governing assemblage Fifa 2 years later.

The closest Uzbekistan came antecedently to qualifying was during a arguable run successful 2006, erstwhile they were successful a two-legged playoff against Bahrain to find who would beryllium nan Asian Football Confederation's typical to look Concacaf's Trinidad and Tobago. The victor of that lucifer would past suffice for nan finals successful Germany.

Uzbekistan won nan first limb 1-0, but a refereeing correction led to Fifa ordering nan lucifer beryllium played again, and they yet mislaid retired connected distant goals.

The Uzbeks, however, person qualified for each Asian Cup finals since 1996 and progressed to nan knockout shape successful each quality since 2004, including a tally to nan semi-finals successful 2011 and nan quarter-finals past year.

Asian Cup runners up Jordan are classed 62nd successful nan world and are competing successful their seventh World Cup qualifiers, since their first successful 1986.

The closest they person antecedently travel to qualifying was losing an intercontinental play-off to Uruguay successful 2014.

So really does World Cup qualifying work?

Qualifying places: Six, positive 1 into intercontinental play-offs

Teams already through: Argentina

South American qualifying comprises a large group involving each 10 teams - and started successful September 2023.

The apical six each scope nan World Cup, pinch seventh spot going into nan intercontinental play-offs.

With 4 retired of 18 games left, Argentina - who person already qualified - Ecuador, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay and Colombia inhabit nan apical six - pinch Venezuela seventh.

Qualifying places: Eight, positive 1 into intercontinental play-offs

Teams already through: Japan, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan

Asian qualifying started successful October 2023 pinch nan lower-ranked teams successful action.

We are now successful nan 3rd round, wherever nan apical 2 teams successful 3 different groups suffice automatically.

Japan, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea and Jordan person now already sealed their slots, while Australia presently inhabit nan past automatic qualification spot.

The teams who decorativeness 3rd and 4th successful each six-team group spell connected to a 4th information wherever they person different chance to qualify. There is moreover a 5th round.

Qualifying places: Nine, positive 1 into intercontinental play-offs

Teams already through: None

There are 9 African groups of World Cup qualifying, each pinch six teams, which started successful November 2023.

The apical squad successful each group spell done automatically. With 4 games to go, nan existent leaders are Egypt, DR Congo, South Africa, Cape Verde, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Tunisia and Ghana.

The champion 4 runners-up spell into play-offs... for nan chance to compete successful nan intercontinental play-offs.

Qualifying places: Six (including 3 hosts), positive 2 into intercontinental play-offs

Teams already through: None done qualifying - USA, Canada and Mexico automatically arsenic co-hosts

The Concacaf qualifying takes a different look, pinch 3 of their biggest hitters not progressive arsenic they person qualified arsenic hosts - but still plentifulness of spots up for grabs.

Like Europe, location is still a agelong measurement to spell pinch qualifying not imaginable until nan autumn.

There are six five-team groups, pinch nan apical 2 from each advancing to nan adjacent stage.

The 3rd information past has 3 groups of 4 teams - pinch nan winners of each group going to nan World Cup and nan 2 best-ranked runners-up going into nan intercontinental play-offs.

Qualifying places: 16

Teams already through: None

There are 12 groups - pinch nan winners of each group qualifying for nan World Cup and nan 12 runners-up going into play-offs pinch nan 4 best-ranked Uefa Nations League group winners that person not already qualified - for 4 other places.

Europe is nan only continent that does not person a squad successful nan intercontinental play-offs.

Qualifying only started successful March - pinch immoderate teams not moreover playing their first qualifiers until September while nan Nations League continues.

The groups extremity successful November, pinch nan play-offs successful March 2026.

Qualifying places: One, positive 1 into intercontinental play-offs

Teams already through: New Zealand

Oceania qualifying has already ended - pinch New Zealand beating New Caledonia 3-0 successful nan final.

New Zealand spell done to nan World Cup automatically, arsenic a consequence of nan expanded World Cup. Oceania usually only gets a play-off spot.

New Caledonia, a French overseas territory, will return spot successful intercontinental play-offs successful March 2026 - featuring teams from Africa, Asia, South America and North America - pinch 2 retired of six teams going through.