List of all 82 nations to feature in FIFA World Cup history

Uzbekistan and Jordan create history by securing a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Uzbekistan and Jordan advanced to the World Cup finals for the first time in their history, becoming the 81st and 82nd different nations, respectively, to book their place in a FIFA World Cup competition.

With a 0-0 tie against the United Arab Emirates, guaranteeing Timur Kapadze’s team a top-two finish in Group A of the preliminary round, Uzbekistan secured their place in the expanded 48-team finals. They do so along with Iran, which were previously qualified.

After the Jordan national football team defeated Oman 3-0 to secure their first-ever berth in the World Cup, there were wild celebrations around the country.

🚨🇯🇴 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 | Jordan have QUALIFIED for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 🌍🏆Like Uzbekistan, it's also the first time they have ever qualified for this competition, historic moment. 👏 pic.twitter.com/ySpXKopVUc

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) June 5, 2025

80 different national teams had participated in the FIFA World Cups before them. Now, 82 national sides have recorded their presence in a World Cup. Only Brazil have participated in all 22 FIFA World Cups thus far; Germany have done so in 20, Italy and Argentina in 18, and Mexico in 17 FIFA World Cups.

Eight countries have won the competition so far. Argentina are the current champion; Uruguay were the first to win in 1930. With five cup victories, Brazil are presently the most successful country in the competition. Eleven teams have advanced to the FIFA World Cup semifinals, and five teams have made it to the finals without winning.

List of all 82 countries & the first time they featured at a FIFA World Cup

1930: Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, France, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, United States, Uruguay, Yugoslavia

1934: Austria, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

1938: Cuba, Dutch East Indies, Norway, Poland

1950: England

1954: South Korea, Scotland, Turkey

1958: Northern Ireland, Soviet Union, Wales

1962: Bulgaria, Colombia

1966: North Korea, Portugal

1970: El Salvador, Morocco, Israel

1974: Australia, East Germany, Haiti, Zaire

1978: Tunisia, Iran

1982: Algeria, New Zealand, Kuwait, Cameroon, Honduras

1986: Canada, Denmark, Iraq

1990: Costa Rica, Republic of Ireland, United Arab Emirates

1994: Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Greece

1998: Croatia, Jamaica, Japan, South Africa

2002: China, Ecuador, Senegal, Slovenia

2006: Angola, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine

2010: Slovakia

2014: Bosnia and Herzegovina

2018: Panama, Iceland

2022: Qatar

2026: Jordan, Uzbekistan

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