All 48 World Cup 2026 Countries — Fun Facts for Kids
This summer, 48 countries from around the world will play in the biggest World Cup ever — across the USA, Canada, and Mexico. That's a lot of flags, a lot of new country names, and a lot of fun conversations to have with your kids.
Here's every group (A through L) with the confirmed teams and a quick fun fact per country. A few playoff spots are still open after March 31 — we'll update this page as soon as those are decided.
By the way, all these facts match what's inside the Bally Adventures coloring book — so if your kid colors a country, they already know a cool thing about it.
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea + play-off qualifier (confirmed after March 31, 2026)
- Mexico — Co-host nation! Third time hosting the World Cup — Group A!
- South Africa — Back at the World Cup — hosted the tournament in 2010! Group A!
- South Korea — 2002 semi-finalists on home soil — Group A!
Group B: Canada, Qatar, Switzerland + play-off qualifier (confirmed after March 31, 2026)
- Canada — Co-host nation! First World Cup since 1986 — Group B!
- Qatar — Hosted the 2022 World Cup — now competing in Group B!
- Switzerland — Reached the quarterfinals in 2024 — Group B!
Group C: Brazil, Haiti, Morocco, Scotland
- Brazil — 5-time World Cup champions — more than any other nation! Group C!
- Haiti — World Cup debut! Making history in Group C!
- Morocco — Stunning semi-finalists in 2022 — first African team to reach the final four! Group C!
- Scotland — Back at the World Cup for the first time since 1998! Group C!
Group D: Australia, Paraguay, United States + play-off qualifier (confirmed after March 31, 2026)
- Australia — Reached the round of 16 in 2022 — Group D!
- Paraguay — Reached the quarterfinals in 2010 — Group D!
- United States — Co-host nation with 11 venues — Group D!
Group E: Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, Ecuador, Germany
- Côte d'Ivoire — AFCON 2024 champions — Group E!
- Curaçao — World Cup debut! Smallest nation ever to qualify! Group E!
- Ecuador — Third consecutive World Cup appearance — Group E!
- Germany — 4-time World Cup champions and Euro 2024 hosts — Group E!
Group F: Japan, Netherlands, Tunisia + play-off qualifier (confirmed after March 31, 2026)
- Japan — First non-host to qualify — beat Germany AND Spain in 2022! Group F!
- Netherlands — 3-time World Cup finalists — famous for total football! Group F!
- Tunisia — Sixth World Cup appearance — Group F!
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
- Belgium — Third place at the 2018 World Cup — Group G!
- Egypt — Africa's most successful national team — 7 AFCON titles! Group G!
- Iran — Asia's most successful qualifier — seventh World Cup! Group G!
- New Zealand — Oceania's pride — unbeaten at the 2010 World Cup! Group G!
Group H: Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Uruguay
- Cabo Verde — World Cup debut! A tiny island nation making history! Group H!
- Saudi Arabia — Shocked the world by beating Argentina in 2022! Group H!
- Spain — 2010 World Cup winners and reigning Euro champions — Group H!
- Uruguay — Two-time World Cup winners and the first ever champions in 1930! Group H!
Group I: France, Norway, Senegal + play-off qualifier (confirmed after March 31, 2026)
- France — 2-time champions and 2022 finalists — Group I!
- Norway — First World Cup since 1998 — home of Erling Haaland! Group I!
- Senegal — AFCON 2022 champions and round of 16 in Qatar! Group I!
Group J: Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Jordan
- Algeria — Back at the World Cup — won AFCON 2019! Group J!
- Argentina — Defending champions! 3-time World Cup winners — Group J!
- Austria — First World Cup since 1998 — Group J!
- Jordan — World Cup debut! Asian Cup 2024 finalists! Group J!
Group K: Colombia, Portugal, Uzbekistan + play-off qualifier (confirmed after March 31, 2026)
- Colombia — Copa América 2024 finalists — Group K!
- Portugal — Euro 2016 champions — could be Ronaldo's last World Cup! Group K!
- Uzbekistan — World Cup debut! A historic moment for Central Asian football! Group K!
Group L: Croatia, England, Ghana, Panama
- Croatia — 2018 finalists and 2022 third place — Group L!
- England — 1966 champions — still chasing their second star! Group L!
- Ghana — Reached the quarterfinals in 2010 — Group L!
- Panama — Second ever World Cup appearance — Group L!
First-timers!
Some countries are playing their very first World Cup ever: Haiti, Cabo Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. Imagine how exciting that must be for the kids in those countries!
Fun one to share with your kids: Curaçao is one of the smallest places ever to make it to a World Cup. Look up how many people live there and compare it to your own town.
Where is it all happening?
Three countries are hosting together — that's never happened before. The USA has 11 stadiums, Mexico has 3, and Canada has 2. The final is at MetLife Stadium near New York City on July 19.
In the Bally Adventures book, kids can color every stadium and learn something fun about the city it's in.
Want to color all 48 countries?
Download three free sample pages to get started. The full book has all 48 countries, 16 stadiums, and Bally visiting every single one.
FAQ
How many countries play in the 2026 World Cup?
48 — it's the most teams ever at a World Cup.
Which country has won the most World Cups?
Brazil, with five titles. Argentina has three.
When does it start?
June 11, 2026. Perfect timing for a family countdown!