World Cup 2026: 16 teams through, Uruguay, Colombia, Paraguay progress | OneFootball

The road to the 2026 World Cup, which will take place next summer across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is starting to take shape.

2026 World Cup, 16 National Teams Already Qualified. Uruguay, Colombia, and Paraguay Advance

After Argentina, Brazil, and Ecuador, Colombia, Paraguay, and Uruguay have also secured their spots for the world tournament, bringing the number of already qualified teams to 16, which is one third of the total 48 participants.

South America: Three New Tickets to the World Cup

During the Italian night, three decisive matches determined the latest outcomes in the CONMEBOL group:

Colombia – A clear 3-0 victory over Bolivia in Barranquilla, marking their seventh World Cup qualification.

Paraguay – A 0-0 draw against Ecuador in Asunción, their ninth participation in history.

Uruguay – A 3-0 win over Peru at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo.

The 16 National Teams Already Qualified

Host countries:

United States

Mexico

Canada

Qualified through the qualifiers:

Japan

New Zealand

Iran

Argentina

Uzbekistan

South Korea

Jordan

Australia

Brazil

Ecuador

Colombia

Paraguay

Uruguay

The New Format of the 2026 World Cup

Let’s remember that the next edition will be the first with 48 participating teams, divided into 12 groups of four, with direct access to the round of 32 for the top two in each group and the eight best third-placed teams. This format will ensure greater global representation and a total of 104 matches, compared to the 64 in the traditional 32-team format.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.