2026 World Cup: The 4 national teams set for their tournament debut

Four teams will compete at the World Cup for the first time in history in 2026.

World Cup 2026/@France24

We now know 42 of the 48 countries that have qualified for the tournament. World Cup 2026. By expanding the tournament field, FIFA opened the door for new teams to participate in the world's largest football arena. Here are the four national teams that will play in the final stage for the first time in their history.

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Curacao

Curacao is a real sensation in the CONCACAF qualifiers. This small country of just 150,000 people, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, will be the least populated country at the upcoming World Cup. Curacao drew 0-0 with Jamaica to remain top of Group B.

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final for the first time in history after a goalless 0-0 draw against the United Arab Emirates last June during the third round of Asian qualifying.

Cape Verde

Cape Verde, the team that stunned Cameroon, will be Africa's newcomer to the tournament. The Blue Sharks had a stellar campaign in Group D, sending the Indomitable Lions into the knockout stages before ultimately knocking them out.

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Jordan

On June 5, 2025, Jordan qualified for the World Cup for the first time in history with a 3-0 away win over Oman.

After the European and intercontinental play-offs, there could be even more debutants: Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Suriname and New Caledonia are still in contention.