Forty-eight countries have officially qualified for the World Cup, after Iraq booked the final spot with its win against Bolivia on Tuesday. It’s the first time Iraq will be competing in the tournament in 40 years. The Democratic Republic of Congo, too, is set to participate for the first time in years (52 to be exact!), and even declared a national holiday today to celebrate.
Hard Numbers
Hard number: 2026 World Cup debuts

Natalie Johnson
By Natalie JohnsonApril 01, 2026
Natalie Johnson
Natalie Johnson is the Deputy Head of Content at GZERO Media and edits the GZERO Daily newsletter. Her career has spanned producing for broadcast cable news at outlets like MSNBC, VICE TV, and NewsNation, as well as writing for digital media. She's also the creator and co-editor of an anthology called "Black Love Letters," published in 2023 through John Legend's GetLifted book imprint. Natalie studied political science at Scripps College and holds a master's degree in sociology from Columbia University.

















