Arab Teams at the 2026 World Cup
With the expansion of the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams, Arab aspirations for a strong showing have increased, especially since the Asian and African qualifiers have become much easier than in the past, making qualification for the tournament far more attainable.
The 2018 and 2022 editions witnessed the largest Arab participation in the World Cup, with four teams each. Undoubtedly, the Qatar edition saw the best Arab achievement to date, with Morocco finishing fourth.
This report highlights the Arab teams that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, their journey through the qualifiers, and more details.
Arab Teams Qualified for the 2026 World Cup from Asia
The Jordanian national team was the first to qualify for the 2026 World Cup from Asia, after finishing second in their group in the third round. This marks the first time in history that the Nashama (Jordanian national team) will participate in the World Cup.
Qatar became the second Arab team from Asia to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after defeating the UAE 2-1, followed by Saudi Arabia after a draw with Iraq.
It's worth noting that the final number of Arab qualifiers from Asia could reach four, as Iraq will participate in the intercontinental play-off in March and could qualify for the World Cup if they win.
Arab teams that qualified for the 2026 World Cup from Africa
Morocco was the first Arab-African team to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup after topping their group in the African qualifiers with a perfect record and without suffering a single defeat.
Tunisia was the second Arab team from Africa to officially qualify for the World Cup, and the Carthage Eagles have a remarkable record in the 2026 qualifiers.
The third Arab team to qualify from Africa was Egypt, who qualified without a single loss under the leadership of coach Hossam Hassan, who became the first Egyptian in history to qualify for the World Cup as both a player and a coach.
The Algerian national team struggled somewhat, but ultimately secured qualification for the World Cup, returning after the disappointment of missing out on Qatar 2022 in a heartbreaking fashion, with Cameroon scoring a last-minute goal in the playoff.
The Arab teams that qualified for the 2026 World Cup from Asia are Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, with a fourth team potentially qualifying if they win the intercontinental playoff next March. The teams that qualified from Africa are Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, and Algeria.
Thus, the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico will be the tournament with the most Arab participation, with seven teams guaranteed and one additional spot to be decided in the intercontinental playoff.
Historical Highlights of the Arab Teams with the Most World Cup Appearances
The ranking shows that the Arab teams with the most World Cup appearances are three teams tied with seven each: Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Tunisia. These numbers reflect a consistent level of performance and qualification despite the fierce competition.
In contrast, Egypt is participating in its fourth edition, while Algeria has five appearances. Qatar has participated twice, while Jordan, the UAE, Kuwait, and Iraq have each appeared once, reflecting the disparity in participation history among the various Arab national teams.
Rank of the Most Arab National Teams in World Cup History
The following table ranks the Arab national teams according to their number of World Cup appearances to date, illustrating the frequency of their participation in the global tournament: