Who has qualified for the 2026 World Cup?

A record 48 teams will play in the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Morocco became the first African country to qualify for next summer's tournament by beating Niger 5-0 on Friday night. The Atlas Lions reached the semifinals in the 2022 edition.

Forty-three teams will get their spots through continental qualifying tournaments. Another two will secure their places in the intercontinental playoffs featuring six teams and scheduled for March 2026. The three host countries automatically qualify.

Asia will have eight direct places and one in the intercontinental playoff.

Africa has nine direct spots plus one for the intercontinental playoff.

North and Central America and the Caribbean get three direct berths (plus the three host nations) and another two spots in the intercontinental playoffs.

South America has six direct spots and will send another team to the intercontinental playoffs.

Oceania for the first time has a guaranteed spot — New Zealand clinched that in March. It could add another with New Caledonia going into the intercontinental playoffs.

Europe will have 16 teams sure to play in the next World Cup.

United States, Mexico, Canada (qualified automatically as hosts)

Morocco (qualified on Sept. 5)

Japan (qualified on March 20)

Iran (qualified on March 25)

Jordan (qualified on June 5)

South Korea (qualified on June 5)

Uzbekistan (qualified on June 5)

Australia (qualified on June 10)

New Zealand (qualified on March 24)

Argentina (qualified on March 25)

Brazil (qualified on June 10)

Ecuador (qualified on June 10)

Uruguay (qualified on Sept. 4)

Colombia (qualified on Sept. 4)

Paraguay (qualified on Sept. 4)

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Morocco players celebrate after scoring a gaol against Niger during the World Cup group E qualifying soccer match at Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah in Rabat, Morocco, Friday, Sep. 5, 2025. (AP Photo)

Players of Colombia celebrate their team's 3-0 victory over Bolivia at the end of a World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match at Metropolitano stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Madison Keys lost in the Adelaide International quarterfinals to rising Canadian talent Victoria Mboko on Thursday, less than a week away from the start of her Australian Open title defense.

The 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 loss to Mboko followed last week's quarterfinal loss in the Brisbane International to top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, who she beat at Melbourne Park last year for her first Grand Slam singles title.

Keys was the defending champion at Adelaide.

No. 8-seeded Mboko broke Keys early en route to winning the first set, but couldn’t compete with Keys' big serve in the second. Keys, seeded second at the WTA 500 event, had eight aces in the match, including six in the second set.

Mboko won 75% of her first-serve points in the third set and converted the lone breakpoint available to her. She’ll now face Kimberly Birrell of Australia in the semifinals.

Mboko was named the WTA Newcomer of the Year after winning the National Bank Open in Montreal and raising her ranking from No. 333 at the start of the season to No. 18.

The Australian Open begins on Sunday. Keys has been drawn to face Oleksandra Oliynykova of Ukraine in the first round of the year's first major. Mboko will open against Emerson Jones of Australia.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Victoria Mboko,right, and Cleeve Harper of Canada compete against Elise Mertens and Zizou Bergs of Belgium in their doubles match at the United Cup tennis tournament in Sydney, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)