The 2026 FIFA World Cup will arrive with a wider field and a familiar sense of history being rewritten, as several European nations end long absences and step back into football’s biggest arena.
Set to run from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Mexico and Canada, the tournament expands to 48 teams for the first time, reshaping qualification pathways and opening the door for long-awaited returns across Europe.
UEFA received 16 direct slots in the expanded format. Twelve teams qualified through group winners, while four more advanced via playoffs held in March 2026. Among them, seven nations are ending significant World Cup droughts, but none carries the symbolic weight of Türkiye’s return.
Türkiye end 24-year wait
The Türkish Crescent-Stars will step back onto the World Cup stage for the first time since 2002, closing a 24-year absence that stretched across five failed qualification cycles and generations of near misses.
