World Cup 2026: teams qualified, key players and fixtures

(In a story published on June 11, corrects entry on Egypt to say it has 7, not 78, Afcon victories)

June 11 : The 2026 edition of the World Cup will be co-hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada. The tournament, expanded from 32 to 48 teams and played across 16 cities, takes place from June 11 to July 19.

Here is a breakdown of the teams taking part, their path to the tournament and some key names to watch.

GROUP A

MEXICO

A third-time World Cup host, Mexico qualified automatically and will play the inaugural game against South Africa at the Azteca Stadium, a replay of the match that kicked off the 2010 tournament in the African nation.

Coach Javier Aguirre will be relying on a balance of youth and experience, with Fulham striker Raul Jimenez and veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa joined by 17-year-old Tijuana midfielder Gilberto Mora, the youngest player of the tournament, as they seek to go past quarter-finals, their best result so far.

With his inclusion in the squad, Ochoa will have taken part in six World Cups, a record he will share with Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi.

SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa, despite being stripped three points in their qualifying campaign for fielding an ineligible player, made it to the World Cup for the first time since 2010 after a 3-0 victory against Rwanda in October 2025.

This will be the fourth World Cup participation for Bafana Bafana, “The Boys” in Zulu language, who are yet to get past the group stage.

Orlando Pirates winger Relebohile Mofokeng, one of the most exciting talents of his team, will be one to watch.

SOUTH KOREA

South Korea steamrolled opponents on the way to their 11th consecutive World Cup since 1986.

After beating Iraq in June 2025, South Korea