World Cup 2026: Who has qualified + are the hosts ready?
The Athletic FC Podcast
The Athletic
4.0 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 19 November 2025
⏱️ 47 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The 2026 World Cup is almost set. We now know 42 out of the 48 teams going to next year’s tournament.
With the draw just around the corner, we're looking at who has qualified already, who is yet to qualify, and what a 48-team World Cup will look like.
Host: Ayo Akinwolere
With: Jack Pitt-Brooke, Felipe Cardenas, Adam Crafton
Executive Producer: Abi Paterson
Producers: Mike Stavrou, Liam Warburton, Nick Thomson
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Athletic FC |
| 0:03.1 | Welcome to the Athletic FC podcast with me, Ayok Akim Woler. |
| 0:09.0 | The 2026 World Cup is almost set. |
| 0:13.5 | Now, with the World Cup draw just around the corner, |
| 0:16.7 | we thought it was a good time to see which countries |
| 0:19.3 | are actually going to be heading to North America. |
| 0:21.9 | And also what a 48 team tournament actually looks like. |
| 0:26.6 | So, are you ready? |
| 0:29.4 | Here with us today in the studio. |
| 0:31.1 | We've got Jack Pitt Brook. |
| 0:32.2 | We've also got all the way from the United States, Felipe Cardenas, as well. |
| 0:35.8 | Look, the international break is over, gentlemen, |
| 0:37.9 | and we know who 42 or the 48 teams are going to be in the next World Cup. Right, we're going to |
| 0:45.7 | talk about some great stories because there have been some really great stories over the last few |
| 0:48.9 | days. But first of all, I just want to get a sort of heatometer from the both of you. How were we |
| 0:54.0 | both feeling about the World Cup? Felipe, what's going on? Listen, I'm want to get a sort of heatometer from the both of you. How were we both feeling |
| 0:54.5 | about the World Cup? Felipe, what's going on? Listen, I'm getting excited. You know, I was not on |
| 1:00.1 | the boat with the 48 team World Cup. You know, I still think it's going to be an experiment, |
| 1:04.9 | but I think this week proved that there's still plenty of drama, you know, in international |
| 1:10.6 | football. I'm one of those sickos |
| 1:12.2 | that loves the international break. It's what I most look forward to. And, you know, look at the |
| 1:17.5 | stories with Scotland qualifying, you know, Ireland in the playoff. You go down to Conca Calf and the drama |
... |
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