FIFA announces recommended slot allocations for 48-team 2026 World Cup

The Bureau of the FIFA Council announced Thursday its recommended slot allocations for the 48 teams in the 2026 World Cup, with 46 teams directly qualifying and the two remaining slots being awarded by way of a six-team playoff tournament.

Here's the breakdown:

The proposal sees the World Cup increased from 32 teams to 48, with each confederation boosted in some way. The host nation would be taken from its own confederation's allocation, while the six-team playoff tournament would include a team from the host's confederation, as well as one team from each of the other confederations except UEFA.

In this current proposal, CONMEBOL sends six of its 10 teams to the World Cup automatically, with a possible seventh team joining by way of a seeded six-team tournament, which FIFA said will act as a test event in the host nation.

Oceania also has an automatic berth, and no longer has to compete for a spot with another confederation.

Half spots were also removed from CONCACAF and AFC, which means the former's infamous "Hex" stage is no longer necessary, though the route by which that final six is determined might be changed.

The biggest change was in adding four spots to Africa, as the continent boasts over 50 countries, of which only five typically qualified.

The recommendation - crafted by FIFA president Gianni Infantino and the presidents of each of the six confederations - will now be submitted for the ratification of the FIFA Council, who meet May 9 in Bahrain, two days before FIFA convenes for its 67th session of Congress.