Four national football teams will participate in a FIFA World Cup for the first time when the 2026 edition is held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

According to GoogleNewsEN, the 2026 World Cup field includes four countries that have never previously qualified for the tournament. These nations secured their places through the standard qualification process for the expanded competition, which will for the first time feature 48 participating teams rather than the previous 32.

The 2026 edition represents a significant structural expansion of the tournament. The enlarged field provides football associations from historically underrepresented regions with a greater opportunity to qualify, a factor that is considered to have contributed to the presence of first-time participants.

The specific identities of the four debutant nations are referenced by GoogleNewsEN in the original reporting; however, based on the available source material, further detail could not be independently verified for inclusion in this report.

The football associations concerned could not be reached for comment.