The qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup witnessed an unprecedented historical event, as seven Arab teams qualified for the finals, following the successful qualification of Saudi Arabia and Qatar yesterday, Tuesday, during the third round of the Asian playoff matches.

Thus, the number of Arab teams participating in the 2026 World Cup rises to seven, marking a first in the history of the global tournament, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

There is still a chance for an eighth Arab team to join, as the UAE and Iraq will face off in a decisive match on November 13 and 18 to determine who qualifies for the global playoff, seeking the last ticket to the finals.

This record number of qualified Arab teams is attributed to the increase in the number of participants in the World Cup to 48 teams for the first time in history, allowing for a broader representation of different continents.

Jordan was the first Arab team to secure its presence in the upcoming World Cup, followed by Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, and Algeria from Africa, and then Saudi Arabia and Qatar from Asia.

It is noted that this is the seventh time Saudi Arabia has qualified for the World Cup, while it is Qatar's second time, having previously participated as hosts in 2022, and the first time for Jordan. Meanwhile, Morocco and Tunisia have reached the World Cup for the seventh time in their history, compared to five participations for Algeria and four for Egypt.

The UAE and Iraq remain in the race for hope to repeat their appearances in the global festival, having both participated in previous editions of the World Cup, alongside Kuwait and Iraq, which represented Arab football in past tournaments.