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2026 FIFA World Cup Teams Announced: Iran Included, Italy and Nigeria Excluded
2026 FIFA World Cup Participant List Unveiled
FIFA has released the list of 48 nations participating in the 2026 World Cup. The roster includes Türkiye, along with Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, Colombia, Croatia, Curaçao, Czechia, DR Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Senegal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, United States, Uruguay, and Uzbekistan. This expanded list follows the new tournament format, which has increased the number of participating nations from 32 to 48.
Exclusions of Major Teams and Emerging Controversies
The announced list has caused disappointment among fans as some traditional football powerhouses, including Italy, and African strong contenders like Nigeria, have been excluded. Specifically, Nigeria reportedly failed to qualify after losing to DR Congo in a penalty shootout during the qualifiers. FIFA President Gianni Infantino commented positively on the possibility of Iran entering the U.S. for matches, stating that games would proceed according to the draw. While the expanded World Cup will feature a diverse range of nations, controversies are expected to continue due to the absence of several prominent teams.
*Source: YouTube: TRT World (2026-04-04)*
