The October 2025 FIFA international break is shaping up to be one of the most decisive of the qualifying campaign. Several national teams across Africa, Europe, Asia, and Concacaf are on the verge of securing their tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

This is the penultimate international window before the qualifiers conclude — a moment that could define the road to North America.

So far, 19 teams have officially booked their place at the 2026 World Cup:

• Host nations: Mexico, United States, Canada
• AFC (Asia): Japan, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, Iran, Australia
• CONMEBOL (South America): Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Colombia, Paraguay
• CAF (Africa): Morocco, Tunisia
• OFC (Oceania): New Zealand

Which African Teams Could Secure Qualification?

Several African nations are just one result away from clinching their World Cup berth during this window:

• Algeria will qualify if they win away to Somalia, or if they draw and both Uganda and Mozambique fail to win.
• Cape Verde will qualify with a victory over Libya, or with a draw if Cameroon don’t beat Mauritius.
• Ivory Coast will book their ticket if they beat Seychelles and Gabon lose to Gambia.
• Egypt qualify if they defeat Djibouti and Burkina Faso fail to win in Sierra Leone.
• Ghana secure their spot if they beat the Central African Republic and Madagascar don’t defeat Comoros.
• Senegal will qualify with a win over South Sudan if DR Congo fail to beat Togo.

Which European Nations Are Close to Qualification?

In Europe, the qualifying picture is tightening, with several big names and dark horses nearing confirmation:

• Croatia will qualify if they beat both Czech Republic and Gibraltar, provided the Czechs don’t defeat the Faroe Islands.
• France can book their spot with wins over Azerbaijan and Ireland, as long as Iceland draw with Ukraine.
• Slovakia will qualify if they win against Northern Ireland and Luxembourg, while Germany fail to win both of their matches.
• Switzerland will clinch a place if they defeat Sweden and Slovenia, and Kosovo fail to win against either of those teams.
• England qualify if they beat Latvia and Serbia fail to win their matches against Albania and Andorra.
• Norway, Portugal, and Spain also remain in contention, but must win both of their matches and rely on results elsewhere.

Which Teams Could Qualify From Concacaf and Asia?

Concacaf

The path is narrower in North and Central America, but a couple of teams could seal early qualification:

• Honduras will qualify if they defeat Costa Rica and Haiti, provided those two sides draw in their head-to-head meeting.
• Jamaica qualify with victories over Curaçao and Bermuda, as long as Trinidad and Tobago fail to win against those same opponents.

Asia

In AFC’s fourth round, two direct spots are available in each group — with six nations still fighting:

• Group A: Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Oman battle for two direct tickets.
• Group B: Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia are locked in a similar race.

The third-place finishers in each group will advance to an intercontinental playoff, keeping their World Cup hopes alive.