The journey to the first 48-team FIFA World Cup has been intense, breaking records and making football history. Qualifiers across all six confederations have been full of drama and excitement. So far, 42 nations have secured their places, from newcomers to traditional powerhouses. Only a few crucial playoff matches remain before the final lineup is set for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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Qualified Nations
The expanded format means more automatic qualifiers and more chances for new teams. Here is the list of countries from each continent:
- Europe: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain and Switzerland.
- Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia.
- Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Uzbekistan.
- South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay.
- North America: Curaçao, Haiti and Panama and the three host countries.
- Oceania: New Zealand.
Major Nations, Unbeaten Streaks and Dominance
Europe’s giants largely navigated the campaign with clinical efficiency:
England
Thomas Tuchel has coached the Three Lions in one of the most statistically dominant performances in European history. They finished Group K with a 100% win record, scoring 22 goals and conceding none. This historic feat has set a formidable tone for the tournament ahead and marks them as a contender.
Spain
Spain continued their stellar form by qualifying unbeaten atop Group E, extending Spain’s unbeaten streak to an impressive 30 games. Despite conceding their first 2 goals to Turkey in their 2-2 draw, their consistency affirms them as a global force to be reckoned with.
France
Aiming for a remarkable third consecutive World Cup final appearance, France topped Group D, sealing qualification after a 4-0 victory over Ukraine, featuring a brace from captain Kylian Mbappe, who continues his form in a star-studded Didier Deschamps’ squad.
Argentina
The reigning World Cup Champions were the first South American side to secure their spot, finishing their exhausting 18-match campaign atop the CONMEBOL standings with 38 points. Scaloni led Argentina to an emphatic qualification including a 4-1 win over rivals Brazil.
Surprising Nations and Debutants
The expansion of the World Cup guaranteed a handful of truly unexpected nations would make history:
- Curaçao (CONCACAF): In a remarkable footballing fairytale, the small Caribbean island nation of Curaçao became the smallest country by both population and area ever to qualify for the World Cup, cementing its place ahead of the intercontinental playoffs.
- Scotland’s Return: After a 28-year absence, Scotland dramatically secured their place in a thrilling match with Puskas-level goals.
- Norway’s Powerhouse: Spearheaded by Erling Haaland, Norway qualified as group winners for the first time in 28 years, with about 5 players in their squad being born during their last qualification.
- Haiti: A 52-year World Cup drought ended with a 2-0 victory over Nicaragua on the final day. Haiti was forced to play all their home matches in another country due to civil unrest.
- New Zealand (OFC): For the first time, Oceania received a guaranteed automatic slot, which was duly claimed by New Zealand, ensuring the OFC will have direct representation at the tournament.
- New Forces: Both Jordan and Uzbekistan will make their debut appearances, showcasing the rising competitiveness of the Asian confederation. Similarly, Cape Verde qualified from the African groups, representing one of the smallest nations from that continent to reach the finals.
The Stars that Defined their Campaigns
While established figures like Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Croatia’s Luka Modrić played pivotal roles, the qualifying spotlight shone brightest on the strikers below:
- Erling Haaland: The Norwegian striker matched Lewandowski’s European record by scoring 16 goals during the campaign, also becoming the first European player in almost 50 years to score in every qualifying matches, cementing his status as the most lethal striker in the world.
- Harry Kane: Kane continued to lead from the front, consistently delivering vital goals for England, including a match-winning double in their final group game against Albania.
- Chris Wood: The Nottingham Forest striker was unstoppable in New Zealand’s qualification, netting 9 goals in just 5 matches to capitalise on their guaranteed automatic berth.
- Cédric Bakambu: The veteran striker was a vital leader and key goalscorer for the DR Congo throughout the difficult CAF campaign, demonstrating resilience and clinical finishing.
Moments of High Drama and Key Games
The campaign was defined by several high-stakes, nerve-shredding encounters:
- Scotland vs. Denmark: In a winner-take-all clash for Group C, Scotland exploded into life with an incredible early bicycle kick goal from Scott McTominay. Despite a late Danish equaliser, the Scots clinched their spot in the deepest reaches of stoppage time, with Kieran Tierney scoring the winner and Kenny McLean sealing the famous victory with a chip from the halfway line in the eighth minute of added time.
- Ireland vs. Hungary: The Group F runner-up race saw the Republic of Ireland secure its playoff place in a wild match against Hungary. The drama peaked when Troy Parrott netted a remarkable hat-trick, including an injury-time strike deep in the 97th minute, confirming their hard-fought spot in the next phase.
- Iraq’s Equaliser: While the final automatic spots were taken, the Asian qualifiers saw immense drama in the race for the playoff spot, highlighted by a 97th-minute equaliser from Iraq in their decisive final group match, showcasing the fine margins across all confederations.
Big Names Heading to the Playoffs
The biggest takeaway from the automatic qualification rounds is the list of major footballing nations that failed to top their groups and now face the tension of the playoffs.
- Italy: The most notable nation in the repechage, Italy missed out on automatic qualification to Haaland’s Norway and is now facing the playoffs for the third consecutive World Cup cycle.
- Sweden: After finishing fourth in their group, the Swedes secured a playoff lifeline via the UEFA Nations League standings.
- Denmark and Poland: Both nations finished as strong runners-up in their respective groups, forcing them into the knockout brackets of the European playoffs.
The Playoff Gauntlet
The remaining 6 World Cup spots will be decided in March 2026, across two grueling knockout competitions:
- UEFA Playoff Tournament: Sixteen European nations – group runners-up and Nations League qualifiers – will be drawn into four separate paths, each featuring a semi-final and a final. The winner of each path will claim one of the final four European tickets to the World Cup.
- Intercontinental Playoff: Six teams from across the globe including Iraq, DR Congo, Jamaica, Suriname, Bolivia and New Caledonia, will compete for the final two spots. This mini-tournament is the ultimate last chance, where dreams are either realised or heartbreakingly crushed to determine the full 48-team roster for the summer tournament.
The final few places for the World Cup are set to be decided in a pressure cooker environment, guaranteeing more drama before the world’s biggest football competition finally kicks off. Stay tuned on 365Scores to ensure that you don’t miss any of the best drama in sports!
