When will the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers begin?

The Qatar tournament was a massive success

Qatar completed its job by hosting one of the most memorable World Cups in history, and now it will pass the torch to the United States, Mexico, and Canada, who will all organize the next World Cup.

Argentina won the Qatar World Cup 2022 for the third time, while Lionel Messi became the World Champion for the first time, defeating France 4-2 on penalties.

For the time being, the football world will focus on club football until 2026, when the FIFA World Cup will return to the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with 48 nations instead of 32.

And, of course, which 45 nations will qualify, while other staging countries will be given the opportunity to become hosting states.

Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026: What do we know about the tournament?

When will the World Cup 2026 qualifiers will began?

CONCACAF

With Mexico, Canada, and the United States already in the World Cup 2026, other North Americans will have easy access to a World Cup 2026 spot. Guatemala, Curacao, Nicaragua, and Trinidad and Tobago will very certainly have a chance to qualify for the World Cup in 2026, however, the dates of the qualifiers have yet to be determined.

Conmebol

South Americans will face the most difficult road to the World Cup in 2026, as six nations will compete for a slot. The qualifiers will begin on March 23, but the schedule for the matches hasn't yet been finalized. Will Messi and Neymar return to the World Cup?

UEFA, the European Football Association, has not yet set a date for the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. However, due to the European Championship in 2024, the fixtures are expected to begin in 2025. And this time, 16 European nations will receive World Cup tickets, with an announcement slated on January 25th, 2023.

AFC

This time, eight Asian countries will contend for a place in the World Cup, and India might make its second appearance in the tournament since 1950. The matches will begin on October 12, 2023, for the lowest-ranked teams, and will conclude in November 2025.

CAF

The African Football Confederation has not revealed the date of the qualifiers, but nine African countries will have the opportunity to compete in the World Cup and one extra intercontinental playoff.

OFC

The Oceania Zone of the OFC will receive half a ticket to the World Cup, but by 2026, the confederation will have a direct quota and one for reclassification. This region, like the others, has not yet established a qualifications timetable.