2026 FIFA World Cup: 16 Countries Confirm Qualification as Uruguay, Colombia, Paraguay Join List
Story: written by Okafor joseph September 5,2025
On Thursday, Uruguay, Colombia, and Paraguay secured their tickets after the penultimate round of South America qualifiers. Uruguay and Colombia sealed qualification with convincing 3-0 victories, while Paraguay booked their place with a hard-fought goalless draw.
They now join continental heavyweights Argentina, Brazil, and Ecuador, who had already guaranteed their spots.
The 2026 World Cup will feature a record 48 teams, the largest in the competition’s history. Hosts USA, Mexico, and Canada all gained automatic qualification as co-host nations.
From Asia, Japan, Iran, South Korea, Australia, Uzbekistan, Jordan, and New Zealand have also confirmed their participation.
In total, 43 nations will qualify through continental competitions, while the final two slots will be decided via the intercontinental playoffs in March 2026, involving six teams battling for the last tickets.
