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The 2026 FIFA World Cup—set to be held across the United States, Canada and Mexico—is the largest edition of the competition in history, boasting a record-breaking 48 participating nations.
This expanded format not only unites the traditional powerhouses of world soccer—defending champions Argentina, five-time winners Brazil, as well as England, Germany, Spain and others—but also creates opportunities for new nations to make their mark on the global stage for the very first time.
Below, we take a closer look at every country making its World Cup debut this summer.
Cape Verde
Cape Verde, which only began participating in World Cup qualifying in 1990, clinched its first-ever World Cup berth in October 2025 after finishing top of its qualification group ahead of established African nations including Cameroon, Libya and Angola.
The nation's swift rise to the global stage has been fueled not only by consistent improvements in domestic soccer infrastructure, but also by its effective recruitment of diaspora talent with eligibility connections to Cape Verde. This includes players such as French-born Columbus Crew captain Steven Moreira, Netherlands-born forward Garry Rodrigues and Portuguese-born midfielder Telmo Arcanjo.
With a population of approximately 600,000, the West African archipelago is the third-smallest country ever to qualify for a World Cup, behind Iceland in 2018 and Curaçao, which will also be making its tournament debut this summer.
Curacao
Curaçao made history in November 2025 by becoming the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup, after securing a vital draw against Jamaica to claim its spot at the tournament.
The Caribbean island—part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands since the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010—has a population of just over 150,000 and spans only 171 square miles.
Adding another remarkable dimension to the story, head coach Dick Advocaat will become the oldest manager in World Cup history at 78 years old, eclipsing Otto Rehhagel's previous record when he guided Greece in 2010 at the age of 71.
The squad includes a number of recognizable names, such as former Aston Villa midfielder Leandro Bacuna, ex-Huddersfield striker Jürgen Locadia and former Manchester United youngster Tahith Chong—all of whom face a tough challenge this summer after being placed in a demanding group alongside four-time champions Germany, Ecuador and the Ivory Coast.
Jordan
Before qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, Jordan had spent decades trying to reach the tournament, going back to its first qualifying campaign in 1986, but had repeatedly come up short.
This time around, however, things were finally different. The team secured its place in North America by finishing as runners-up in AFC qualifying Group B, behind South Korea, to earn a historic first-ever World Cup appearance.
Managed by Jamal Sellami, the squad is made up largely of players competing in regional leagues across the Middle East, including the Jordanian Pro League, the Iraqi First Division and the Saudi Pro League. The notable exception is captain Musa Al-Taamari, who plays his club soccer in France's Ligue 1 with Rennes.
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan made the surprising—and somewhat contentious—decision to part ways with head coach Timur Kapadze last fall after he steered the White Wolves to their first-ever World Cup qualification, replacing him with Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro.
How that decision will ultimately unfold remains to be seen, but there is little question that the challenge ahead is a formidable one. Uzbekistan has been placed in a tough group alongside Portugal, Colombia and DR Congo, meaning Cannavaro's side will face a steep learning curve on the world stage.
That said, the squad does boast several well-known European-based players, including Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov and captain and leading striker Eldor Shomurodov.
The White Wolves also make history as the first Central Asian nation—and only the third former Soviet republic after Russia and Ukraine—to qualify for a World Cup.
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Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has contributed to The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider. Throughout his career, he has had the privilege of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and many more.