The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the twenty third FIFA World Cup tournament and will be held in Canada, Mexico and USA from 11 June to 19 July, 2026. It will be the first World Cup hosted by three nations and the second FIFA World Cup to be hosted in North America.
This tournament will be the first to include 48 teams, expanded from 32.
- 1. Host selection
- 2. Qualifying
- 3. Play Off
- 4. Wales and the 2026 World Cup
- i. Qualification
- ii. Play Off
- 5. Wales players used during qualifying
The bidding process was due to start in 2015, with the appointment of hosts scheduled for the FIFA Congress on 10 May 2017 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but was postponed due to the 2015 FIFA corruption case and the subsequent resignation of Sepp Blatter.
Two bids to host the event were submitted to FIFA, a joint bid by Canada, Mexico and the United States, and one by Morocco. On 13 June 2018, at the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow, Russia the joint bid was selected by 134 votes to Morocco's 65.
206 FIFA nations applied to enter the qualifying process, Russia were suspended indefinitely on 28 February 2022 from participating in UEFA and FIFA competitions due to their country's invasion of Ukraine.
Eritrea withdrew from the qualifying campaign following the draw for the CAF qualifiers.
Hosts, Canada, Mexico and USA qualify automatically whilst the remaining 45 places, have been allocated with 16 to Europe (UEFA), five to South America (CONMEBOL), one to the North and Central American and Caribbean (CONCACAF), eight to Africa (CAF) and seven to Asia (AFC) whilst one qualifier from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and one each from CONMEBOL, CAF and the AFC as well as two from CONCACAF will be drawn into an interconfederation play off for the final two places.
Fifty four UEFA members entered the European qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Russia suspended from participating in UEFA and FIFA competitions due to their country's invasion of Ukraine.
The teams were drawn into twelve groups, six groups of four teams and six groups of five teams. The group winners wwill qualify automatically.
The twelve group runners-up and four best Nations League group winners, based on the Nations League overall ranking, that finished outside the top two of their qualifying group will be drawn into four paths, playing two rounds of single-match play-offs. The four path winners will qualify for the World Cup.
Wales were placed in Pot 2 as second seeds and were drawn into Group J alongside Belgium, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein. This will be Wales' first meeting with Kazakhstan.
Uefa qualifying Group J
| no. | date | score | scorers (wales) | venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22/03/2025 | Liechtenstein 0-3 North Macedonia | Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz | WCQ | ||
| 718 | 22/03/2025 | Wales 3-1 Kazakhstan | D James, Davies, Matondo | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff | WCQ |
| 25/03/2025 | Liechtenstein 0-2 Kazakhstan | Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz | WCQ | ||
| 719 | 25/03/2025 | North Macedonia 1-1 Wales | Brooks | National Arena Todor Proeski, Skopje | WCQ |
| 06/06/2025 | North Macedonia 1-1 Belgium | National Arena Todor Proeski, Skopje | WCQ | ||
| 720 | 06/06/2025 | Wales 3-0 Liechtenstein | Rodon, Wilson, Moore | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff | WCQ |
| 721 | 09/06/2025 | Belgium 4-3 Wales | Wilson (pen), Thomas, Johnson | Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels | WCQ |
| 09/06/2025 | Kazakhstan 0-1 North Macedonia | Astana Arena, Astana | WCQ | ||
| 722 | 04/09/2025 | Kazakhstan 0-1 Wales | Moore | Astana Arena, Astana | WCQ |
| 04/09/2025 | Liechtenstein 0-6 Belgium | Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz | WCQ | ||
| 07/09/2025 | Belgium 5-0 Kazakhstan | Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels | WCQ | ||
| 07/09/2025 | North Macedonia 6-0 Liechtenstein | National Arena Todor Proeski, Skopje | WCQ | ||
| 10/10/2025 | Belgium 0-0 North Macedonia | Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels | WCQ | ||
| 10/10/2025 | Kazakhstan 4-0 Liechtenstein | TBC | WCQ | ||
| 13/10/2025 | North Macedonia 1-1 Kazakhstan | National Arena Todor Proeski, Skopje | WCQ | ||
| 725 | 13/10/2025 | Wales 2-4 Belgium | Rodon, Broadhead | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff | WCQ |
| 15/11/2025 | Kazakhstan 1-1 Belgium | TBC | WCQ | ||
| 726 | 15/11/2025 | Liechtenstein 0-1 Wales | J James | Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz | WCQ |
| 18/11/2025 | Belgium 7-0 Liechtenstein | Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels | WCQ | ||
| 727 | 18/11/2025 | Wales 7-1 North Macedonia | Wilson (3, 2pen), Brooks, Johnson, D James, Broadhead | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff | WCQ |
| BEL | KAZ | LIE | MKD | WAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL | 5-0 | 9-0 | 0-0 | 4-3 | |
| KAZ | 1-1 | 4-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | |
| LIE | 0-6 | 0-2 | 0-3 | 0-1 | |
| MKD | 1-1 | 1-1 | 6-0 | 1-1 | |
| WAL | 2-4 | 3-1 | 3-0 | 7-1 |
Group standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Belgium | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 29 | 7 | 18 |
| 2. | Wales | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 11 | 16 |
| 3. | North Macedonia | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 10 | 13 |
| 4. | Kazakhstan | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 8 |
| 5. | Liechtenstein | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
The 14 group runners-up were joined by the best 2 Nations League group winners, based on the Nations League overall ranking, who finished outside the top two of their qualifying group.
These 16 teams were drawn into three play-off paths, playing two rounds of single-match play-offs, semi-finals and final, with the 4 path winners qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Wales were drawn into Path A facing Bosnia-Herzegovina at home in their semi final with the winners facing the winning team from the Italy v Northern Ireland semi final.
| no. | date | score | scorers (wales) | venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 728 | 26/03/2026 | Wales v Bosnia-Herzegovina | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff | WCPO | |
| 26/03/2026 | Italy v Northern Ireland | Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia, Bergamo | WCPO | ||
| 728 | 31/03/2026 | Wales v Italy/Northern Ireland | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff | TBC |
Wales were placed in Pot 2 as second seeds and were drawn into Group J alongside Belgium, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein. The opening match of the campaign saw Kazakhstan visit the Cardiff Cuty stadium for the first meeting between both countries.
The game started in explosive fashion as Daniel James put the home side ahead after just nine minutes and despite Kazakhstan drawing level before the break Ben Davies and Rabi Matondo ensured Wales got the three points.
The next game in Skopje looked to be drawing to an unsatisfactory goalless draw before a defensive mistake from Joe allen saw the home side take the lead in injury time.
However, in a chaotic finale Kieffer Moore headed the ball down for fellow substitute David Brooks to finish from close range to steal a draw with virtually the last kick of the match.
A routine 3-0 win over Liechtenstein in June, which included Joe Rodon's first international goal, Wales travelled to Brussels for a match which was anything but routine.
The home side strolled to a 3-0 lead within the opening half an hour but a Harry Wilson penalty in the dying seconds of the half gave Craig Bellamy's side a glimmer of hope.
Sorba Thomas' latched on to a Wilson cross to score his first international goal before Brennan Johnson scored an equaliser sparking wild celebrations amongst the visitors.
However, with Wales hanging on for an unlikely point, Kevin De Bruyne popped up unmarked from a corner to clinch the win for Belgium.
The 10 group runners-up were joined by the best 2 Nations League group winners, based on the Nations League overall ranking, who finished outside the top two of their qualifying group.
These 12 teams were drawn into three play-off paths, playing two rounds of single-match play-offs, semi-finals and final, with the 3 path winners qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Wales were drawn into Path A facing Bosnia-Herzegovina at home in their semi final with the winners facing the winning team from the Italy v Northern Ireland semi final.
Players used during qualifying
Wales have used 26 players during the qualifying campaign with Karl Darlow the only player to play every single minute of the campaign, whilst David Brooks and Sorba Thomas played some part of every match.
Dylan Lawlor made his debut during the match in Kazakhstan and Isaak Davies during the final match win over North Macedonia. Meanwhile Joe Allen won his last cap for Wales as a late substitute during the match in Skopje.
| Player | KAZ | MKD | LIE | BEL | KAZ | BEL | LIE | MKD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Allen | 6 | |||||||
| Ethan Ampadu | 64 | 90 | 90 | 90 | ||||
| Nathan Broadhead | 75 | 18 | 65 | 26 | ||||
| David Brooks | 72 | 15 | 26 | 63 | 13 | 58 | 25 | 64 |
| Ben Cabango | 4 | 90 | ||||||
| Rubin Colwill | 25 | |||||||
| Liam Cullen | 90 | 90 | 77 | 23 | 90 | |||
| Ben Davies | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 72 | ||
| Isaak Davies | 5 | |||||||
| Karl Darlow | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| Jay Dasilva | 66 | 4 | 90 | 90 | ||||
| Mark Harris | 28 | 27 | 25 | 86 | 65 | |||
| Daniel James | 86 | 63 | 25 | 65 | 64 | |||
| Jordan James | 28 | 90 | 17 | 90 | 13 | 86 | 77 | |
| Brennan Johnson | 72 | 84 | 64 | 90 | 65 | 32 | 7 | 90 |
| Lewis Koumas | 26 | 25 | ||||||
| Dylan Lawlor | 90 | 90 | 90 | |||||
| Rabbi Matondo | 4 | 6 | 1 | |||||
| Chris Mepham | 90 | 90 | 86 | 8 | ||||
| Kieffer Moore | 27 | 90 | 65 | 4 | ||||
| Connor Roberts | 90 | 90 | 90 | |||||
| Joe Rodon | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 82 | |
| Josh Sheehan | 90 | 84 | 26 | 90 | 90 | |||
| Sorba Thomas | 90 | 90 | 64 | 89 | 77 | 90 | 83 | 26 |
| Neco Williams | 90 | 90 | 24 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 85 | |
| Harry Wilson | 73 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 |