You can watch the first episode of “Quest For The Cup” in the video player above.

(WCMH) – We are approaching the 2026 World Cup, set to be the inaugural tournament featuring 48 teams across three nations.

The tournament, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will feature 104 games over five weeks, starting June 11 and wrapping up July 19 in New York. Fans began securing tickets on Sept. 10, with prices spanning from $60 to more than $6,000 each.

The competition has been underway for over three years with the qualifying matches. So far, 18 teams have secured their spots after the September international fixtures, ranging from top contenders to first-time participants.

Here is a look at the teams that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup thus far:

United States (12th appearance): The USMNT is set to kick off its second home-based World Cup journey on June 12 in Los Angeles. Under the guidance of manager Mauricio Pochettino, the team aims to break a long-standing spell of no victories in World Cup knockout rounds.

Mexico (18th appearance): Becoming the first country to host the World Cup three times, Mexico reaffirms its leadership status in CONCACAF and typically excels in host tournaments.

Canada (3rd appearance): Canada’s World Cup campaign begins on June 12 in Vancouver. A surge of talent over the last decade has solidified its position in CONCACAF, paving the way for promising outcomes in the future.

Japan (8th appearance): The Samurai Blue have made eight straight World Cups dating back to 1998 but have never got past the Round of 16. Japan will hope an expanded tournament can benefit its hope of making the quarterfinals.

New Zealand (3rd appearance): The World Cup’s expansion gave the Oceania region an automatic berth for the first time. Unsurprisingly, New Zealand claimed that spot and will play in its first World Cup since 2010, where it finished undefeated with three draws.

Iran (7th appearance): The side from the Middle East has made the last four World Cups and are getting closer to making it past the group stage. A talented attack led by Mehdi Taremi could give Iran its best World Cup performance next year.

Argentina (19th appearance): Many across North America will clamor to see the defending champions Argentina, who look to become the first back-to-back winners since 1962. Next year will very likely be Lionel Messi’s final World Cup as the legend turns 39 during the tournament.

Uzbekistan (Debut): Expansion breeds new blood and the first debutant to clinch for 2026 was Uzbekistan, a nation with roughly 38 million people. The White Wolves have been among the most consistent sides in Asia over the last decade but finally got over the hump to make a World Cup.

South Korea (12th appearance): Nicknamed the “Taeguk Warriors,” South Korea has shown time and time again its place among the dark horses of world football. From a fourth place finish as co-hosts in 2002 to a win over Portugal in 2022, South Korea is always a team to watch.

Jordan (Debut): Jordan has risen through the ranks in the last year beginning with a shock run to the 2024 Asian Cup final. Now, the Middle East side will play in its first World Cup next summer.

Australia (7th appearance): The Socceroos have been a World Cup mainstay since moving from the Oceania confederation to Asia. Australia is fresh off making the knockout rounds at Qatar 2022 and a bigger tournament could help it achieve more.

Brazil (23rd appearance): One of the first nations everyone thinks about when referring to the beautiful game. Brazil is the only nation to play at every World Cup and will try to win in the United States for a second time.

Ecuador (5th appearance): La Tri could enter next summer as the third best South American team behind Argentina and Brazil. Ecuador will boast arguably its most talented roster for a World Cup with the likes of Willian Pacho and Moises Caicedo starring.

Uruguay (15th appearance): The two-time World Cup winners will play in the tournament for a fifth successive time. After the era of Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan, Uruguay looks to a new generation of stars to redeem themselves after a disappointing 2022 tournament.

Colombia (7th appearance): Los Cafeteros return to the World Cup for the first time since 2018. Led by Bayern Munich’s Luis Diaz, Colombia is always a team to watch for its skill and passionate fanbase that travels the world.

Paraguay (9th appearance): Next summer will be the first time in 16 years Paraguay plays at the World Cup. The South American side were a team to be reckoned with at its last tournament, making the quarterfinals at South Africa 2010.

Morocco (7th appearance): The first African nation to punch its World Cup ticket is arguably the best in the region. Morocco made history in 2022 as the first team from the continent to get to a World Cup semifinal and its squad has only gotten better.

Tunisia (7th appearance): The Eagles of Carthage have made five of the last eight World Cups. Tunisia has never made the knockout round of the tournament.

Who can qualify in October?

A large chunk of berths will be confirmed during the October window, which runs from Oct. 6 to 14. To simplify, let’s break it down by continent.

Asia: Two teams will clinch World Cup berths from Asia in the fourth round of qualifying. Two groups of three teams are left and the group winners will clinch berths. The group runners-up play in a November playoff for an intercontinental playoff spot.

Group A is Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman while Group B’s teams are Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia.

Africa: This continent’s largest round of qualifying will conclude and seven teams will join Morocco and Tunisia into the tournament. Among the teams likely to qualify include Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, and the small archipelago nation of Cape Verde, who is on the verge of clinching its first World Cup berth.

The four best group runners-up will advance to November’s second round and play for Africa’s lone spot in the intercontinental playoff, which will be played in March.

CONCACAF: The second portion of games in CONCACAF’s third round will be played in October. Favorites such as Panama and Costa Rica got off to rocky starts while Jamaica seems assured of a berth they could secure next month. A surprise may pop up during these matches.

Europe: UEFA qualifiers won’t conclude in October but multiple teams could secure berths in October. Favorites such as Spain, France, and England could get qualification over and done with next month. The European side everyone is watching now is Norway, who have a perfect record in its group and are ahead of four-time champions Italy.

The continent that has produced the most World Cup winners also has the most automatic berths with 12 from the first round and four more from the March playoffs.