The 2026 FIFA World Cup will, for the first time, feature 48 national teams from six continents competing for the coveted trophy, up from 32 since the 1998 edition in France and, before then, 24 teams from the 1982 tournament in Spain. It is the fans who drive the team’s passion to glory.

Passionate fans from around the world will be in the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico to watch the 104 matches at the tournament and cheer their national teams to victories, in the hope of watching them lift the trophy as world champions.

Nine national teams from the Asian Football Confederation qualified for the largest international football showpiece, which runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

Australia: The men’s national team are called the Socceroos, while their fans are called the ‘Green and Gold Army’, an independent, football-focused fan movement that organises supporters for stadiums on match days and arranges travel packages for major footballing events. The fans wear yellow and green and cover their section of the stands during matches.

Iran: The Iraqi men’s national team are called Team Melli, while the fans are known as the ‘Team Melli supporters’. The passionate supporters display vibrant national pride with their massive turnouts during matches. To reiterate their support, thousands of fans converged at various public facilities to bid the team farewell ahead of their appearance at the upcoming World Cup. Football is a unifying, non-political respite for these fans.

Japan: The men’s national team are called ‘Samurai Blue’, while their fans are known as ‘Ultras Nippon’ or simply ‘Samurai Blue supporters’. The fans are known for their discipline, sportsmanship, cultural traditions, and signature blue attire. They back the national team during matches, with stands filled with a “sea of blue” as supporters wave flags and beat their drums while chanting “Nippon”, which means “origin of the sun” or “land of the rising sun”.

Jordan: The men’s national team are called ‘Al-Nashama’, which means ‘The Brave’ or ‘The Chivalrous Ones’ or ‘The Gallant Ones’. The name is an Arabic word rooted in the country’s culture, representing bravery, courage, gallantry, resilience, generosity, a noble spirit, and an unyielding will to fight. Supporters recently established an organisation called the Jordanian Fans Association in the U.S. to rally citizens in the diaspora for the World Cup.

South Korea: The country’s national team are called ‘The Reds’, while the fans are known as the ‘Red Devils’. They fill stadiums with red during their teams’ matches, as they chant ‘Dae-Han-Min-Guk’, which is the official name of the country in their local language.

The official supporters’ club was formally established in December 1995. The international media tagged the impressive South Korean youth team as ‘Red Fury’, which was later translated during the 1983 World Youth Championship, to ‘Red Devils’.

Qatar: The country’s national football team are called ‘Al-Annabi’, which, in English, means ‘The Maroons’, a direct reference to the distinctive colour of their national team kits. Their supporters are called ‘Mudaraj Alanabi’, which in English translates to ‘The Maroon Stands’.

The ‘Mudaraj Alanabi’, established in 2023, backs their team in the stands in maroon and white, while making their famous signature chant, ‘Hayyo El Annabi’, meaning ‘Cheer the Maroons’. The fan group also distributes tickets from the Qatar Football Association and organises fans, with dedicated singers and orchestrated chants for matches.

Saudi Arabia: The country’s national team are called ‘The Green Falcons’, and also bears other nicknames, ‘Al-Akhdar’ which means ‘The Green’; ‘Al-Saqour’ which means ‘The Falcons’, ‘Al-Suqour Al-Khodhur’ which means ‘The Green Falcons’, as well as ‘The Arabian Falcons’. The supporters also share the national team’s name, with the green colour of their jerseys depicting the country’s rich history of falconry.

Uzbekistan: The country’s national football team are called the ‘White Wolves’, a name which supporters have also adopted as their identity. They cheer their team with banners inscribed with ‘White Wolves’ and chant and dance in the stands during their matches. They recently held a send-off ceremony for their team heading to the tournament, hoping for a successful showing and a medal.

Iraq: The Iraqi national football team are called the ‘Lions of Mesopotamia’, a name also used by their fans. The nickname symbolises national pride and unity, especially as football is a unifying cultural pillar in the country. The country’s first World Cup qualification since 1986.