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Africa
All 9 of nan automatic places person been filled by nan 9 group winners, pinch nan 4 champion runners-up – DR Congo, Gabon, Cameroon and Nigeria – competing successful November’s playoffs successful Morocco. Nigeria hit Gabon 4-1 successful nan first semi-final, while Cameroon fell to a last-gasp 1-0 conclusion by DR Congo successful nan 2nd tie. DR Congo upset Nigeria aft a gripping punishment shootout successful nan final, and spell done to correspond Africa successful the intercontinental playoffs successful March.
Egypt
Mohamed Salah scored doubly arsenic Hossam Hassan’s broadside hit Djibouti 3-0 successful Casablanca successful October and made up for missing retired connected Qatar 2022 by reaching nan finals pinch a crippled successful hand. This will beryllium Egypt’s 4th finals, moreover though they person yet to triumph a game. Bizarrely, nan Pharaohs did suffice for nan first World Cup, successful 1930, but missed their vessel from Marseille to South America after a large wind delayed them.
Morocco
The undisputed neutrals’ favourites astatine nan past finals became nan first African federation to scope nan 2026 showpiece pinch a 5-0 thumping of Niger connected 5 September successful Rabat. The Qatar 2022 semi-finalists qualified from Group E pinch 2 games to spare aft Tanzania’s 1-1 tie successful Congo-Brazzaville. The Atlas Lions person reached nan finals six times and will co-host nan 2030 edition alongside Portugal and Spain (the 3 opening matches will beryllium played successful Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay).
Tunisia
Likewise, nan Carthage Eagles qualified pinch 2 games to spare successful Group H. Mohamed Ben Romdhane’s last-gasp victor and nan defiance of nan goalkeeper, Aymen Dahmen, successful Malabo against Equatorial Guinea ensured Tunisia reached nan finals for a seventh time, though they person yet to advancement beyond nan group stage.
Algeria
Vladimir Petkovic’s broadside secured their spot pinch a comfortable 3-0 triumph complete Somalia successful October. Mohamed Amoura scored twice, taking nan Wolfsburg striker’s tally successful nan qualifying run to eight, and nan captain, Riyad Mahrez, added another. Victory put them 4 points clear of second-placed Uganda successful Group G pinch 1 information of matches remaining. It will beryllium Algeria’s 5th World Cup finals quality but first since Brazil successful 2014.
Ghana
Mohamed Kudus sewage nan victor astatine location to Comoros arsenic Ghana celebrated qualification successful October. Ghana person now reached 5 of nan past six World Cup finals but their manager, Otto Addo, has played down expectations, claiming nan existent harvest of players are “nowhere close” to nan squad that reached nan 2010 quarter-finals.
Cape Verde
The Blue Sharks will make their World Cup debut astatine nan 2026 finals aft topping Group D pinch a 3-0 location triumph complete Eswatini successful October, leaving Cameroon successful 2nd place. Having only taken portion successful qualifying since 2002, Cape Verde will beryllium nan second-smallest federation by organization to play astatine a men’s finals, aft Iceland successful 2018.
South Africa
South Africa overcame a three-point conclusion successful their qualifying run to decorativeness apical of Group C aft beating Rwanda 3-0 astatine home. Benin, who had a two-point lead going into nan last information of games, fell from apical to 3rd aft losing 4-0 to Nigeria, pinch Victor Osimhen’s hat-trick ensuring nan Super Eagles secured 2nd spot to beforehand to nan playoff information successful November. It is nan first clip South Africa person qualified for nan finals since hosting nan tourney successful 2010.
Senegal
The Lions of Teranga cruised to a 4-0 triumph complete neighbours Mauritania successful October to decorativeness apical of their qualifying Group B. Former Liverpool guardant Sadio Mané scored 2 of nan goals, pinch Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye besides connected nan scoresheet. Senegal vanished supra second-placed Democratic Republic of Congo, who person since progressed to nan intercontinental playoff. Senegal were knocked retired of nan past World Cup by England successful nan past 16, but gained immoderate measurement of revenge pinch victory complete nan Three Lions successful a friends successful June.
Ivory Coast
The reigning African champions breezed past Kenya 3-0 successful their last qualifier successful October to decorativeness apical of Group F. Manchester United’s Amad Diallo scored 1 and group up different to return his state to their first finals since 2014.
See nan afloat CAF standings here.
Asia
Eight nations person qualified directly, pinch Iraq dramatically reaching March’s intercontinental playoffs aft beating United Arab Emirates 3-2 connected aggregate, pinch a winning punishment scored successful nan 17th infinitesimal of stoppage clip successful nan 2nd limb successful Basra.
Australia
Australia reached nan finals successful June having recovered from a extremity down to hit Saudi Arabia successful Jeddah. Connor Metcalfe’s first extremity for his state conscionable earlier half-time restored parity, earlier Mitch Duke’s header from Martin Boyle’s free-kick 3 minutes into nan 2nd half completed nan Socceroos’ revival. After failing to hit Bahrain and Indonesia, Australia ended their run pinch wins complete Japan and nan Saudis to suffice automatically, their sixth World Cup successful a row.
Iran
Will they aliases won’t they beryllium successful nan United States this summer? That is simply a mobility that lingers arsenic warfare tears done nan Middle East, pinch Tehran astatine nan centre of it all. Iran are continuing pinch preparations for nan World Cup, a tourney they first qualified for successful 1978, but, arsenic things stand, it feels highly improbable that they will beryllium there, particularly aft Fifa rejected a petition from nan country’s shot federation for their matches to beryllium moved from nan US to Mexico and Donald Trump claimed it would not beryllium due for Iran to beryllium astatine nan finals astatine each “for their ain life and safety”.
Japan
The Samurai Blue cruised done their qualifying campaign, sealing their summons pinch 3 group games to spare. Japan became nan first federation to book their spot done qualifiers by beating Bahrain 2-0 successful Saitama aft Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo scored successful nan 2nd half. They will compete successful their eighth successive World Cup. In Qatar, Hajime Moriyasu’s broadside reached nan past 16 only to suffer to Croatia connected penalties.
Jordan
Ali Olwan’s hat-trick triggered jubilation successful Jordan arsenic nan 2023 Asian Cup runners-up qualified for their first World Cup finals connected 5 June aft beating Oman 3-0 successful Muscat arsenic South Korea hit Iraq 2-0. Jordan’s ruler, King Abdullah II, was pictured wearing a nationalist squad jersey arsenic he watched nan crippled from nan Jordan embassy successful London, wherever he was connected a visit.
South Korea
Korea reached their 11th consecutive finals pinch triumph complete 10-man Iraq astatine Basra Stadium connected 5 June for what is expected to beryllium Son Heung-min’s swansong. The Tottenham awesome and Taegeuk Warriors skipper will move 34 during nan finals and has said it will beryllium his past tournament. Korea’s formidable qualifying grounds is bettered only by Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina and Spain, though their underwhelming exit astatine nan 2023 Asian Cup led to Jürgen Klinsmann being replaced by Hong Myung-bo, who oversaw victories against Oman, Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait successful qualifying.
Uzbekistan
Welcome, nan White Wolves, who yet reached a World Cup finals some 2,800 miles from location pinch a drab 0-0 tie pinch nan United Arab Emirates successful Abu Dhabi. The Uzbeks are yet making an effect astatine elder world level, having reached nan quarter-finals of nan Under-17 World Cup, past 16 of nan world Under-20 tourney and nan Paris Olympics. In Abdukodir Khusanov, who made his (albeit shaky) Manchester City debut aged conscionable 20, and nan 22-year-old winger Abbosbek Fayzullaev, Timur Kapadze has 2 burgeoning talents astatine his disposal.
Qatar
Qatar hit nan United Arab Emirates 2-1 successful nan 4th information of Asian qualifying to seal a spot astatine adjacent year’s finals. It will beryllium a 2nd consecutive quality astatine nan finals for Qatar, who hosted nan past version successful 2022.
Saudi Arabia
The hosts of nan 2034 tournament claimed a 0-0 tie pinch Iraq successful Jeddah to seal qualification. The consequence meant Hervé Renard’s broadside won Group B of nan 4th information of Asia’s qualifying, finishing level connected 4 points pinch Iraq but up of their neighbours connected goals scored aft a 3-2 triumph complete third-place Indonesia successful nan three-team group.
See nan afloat AFC standings here.
Europe
A full of 54 nations (Russia are suspended) person been slugging it retired for a spot astatine adjacent year’s finals. The winners of 12 groups person qualified, while nan 4 remaining places will beryllium secured via a playoff strategy featuring nan 12 group runners-up and 4 Nations League group winners. The tie teed up a imaginable showdown betwixt Wales and Northern Ireland.
England
Thomas Tuchel’s broadside became nan first European federation to unafraid a spot astatine nan 2026 finals pinch a 5-0 stroll past Latvia successful Riga. England had a flawless grounds successful Group K, scoring 22 goals without reply successful 8 matches.
France
Kylian Mbappé’s brace helped France to a 4-0 triumph complete Ukraine and sent them to nan finals pinch a crippled to spare successful Group D. The 2018 champions and 2022 runners-up will make their eighth consecutive quality astatine nan World Cup.
Croatia
The 2018 finalists completed a 3-1 comeback triumph complete nan Faroe Islands astatine location – pinch 40-year-old Luka Modric still pulling nan strings successful midfield – to go nan 3rd European federation to unafraid their spot by topping Group L.
Portugal
Portugal qualified pinch a 9-1 hammering of Armenia that included hat-tricks from some Bruno Fernandes and João Neves. The reigning Nations League champions were forced to hold to book an automatic spot aft losing 2-0 to Ireland successful a crippled wherever their skipper Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off. But Roberto Martínez’s broadside needed nary thief from their all-time apical scorer successful a one-sided lucifer that assured them apical spot successful Group F pinch 13 points, giving Ronaldo nan opportunity to play astatine a grounds sixth World Cup.
Norway
Erling Haaland’s unthinkable haul of 16 goals from 8 qualifying matches has propelled his state to their first World Cup since 1998. “Haaland is simply a extremity machine,” said Norway head Ståle Solbakken aft his second-half double successful nan 4-1 triumph distant successful Italy which cemented apical spot successful Group I. “I’m happy that Italian fans applauded him too. This is an assemblage who saw awesome players playing present complete nan years and I’m happy that they appreciated Haaland’s capacity too.” Now crowds successful nan US, Mexico and Canada will get to admit nan arena adjacent summer.
Germany
Julian Nagelsmann’s squad mislaid their first qualifier – 2-0 astatine Slovakia successful September – but responded pinch 5 consecutive wins successful Group A, culminating successful a 6-0 rout of nan Slovakians successful Leipzig. The Newcastle guardant Nick Woltemade scored 4 times successful nan past 3 matches, including nan only extremity successful a crucial triumph against Nothern Ireland successful Belfast successful October. Germany won nan World Cup successful 2014 but person not progressed past nan groups successful nan past 2 tournaments.
Netherlands
Ronald Koeman’s broadside recovered nan nett 27 times successful their 8 qualifiers, 4 of them coming against Lithuania successful nan last crippled which secured their place. Memphis Depay, who plays for Corinthians successful Brazil, led nan measurement pinch 8 goals successful nan campaign, during which he became his country’s grounds goalscorer. The Dutch mislaid to Argentina successful an enthralling and ill-tempered quarter-final successful nan past World Cup successful Qatar.
Belgium
Rudi Garcia’s broadside hammered Liechtenstein 7-0 successful their last qualification lucifer to corroborate their berth, finishing their run unbeaten. A 5th triumph successful 8 games saw Belgium apical Group J successful beforehand of Wales. After being powered to nan semi-finals astatine nan 2018 title successful Russia by their aureate generation, nan Belgians flopped past clip retired successful Qatar, exiting astatine nan group stage.
Spain
The European champions and Fifa’s No 1-ranked broadside sealed their spot courtesy of a 2-2 tie pinch Turkey successful their last group game. Real Sociedad’s Mikel Oyarzabal, who scored nan victor successful nan Euro 2024 last against England, and Arsenal’s Mikel Merino were associated apical scorers for Spain successful qualifying, pinch six goals each. But each eyes will beryllium connected Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal successful nan summertime to spot if he tin animate his federation to a 2nd World Cup triumph.
Scotland
Twenty-eight years later, Scotland will beryllium backmost successful a World Cup finals. They earned their spot successful melodramatic fashion, pinch Kenny McLean’s onslaught from nan halfway statement securing a 4-2 triumph complete Denmark that saw them apical Group C. After nan historical achievement, skipper Andy Robertson said: “That conscionable sums up this squad. Never opportunity die, we conscionable support going correct to nan end. One of nan craziest games of football. We’ve surely put nan state done it, but I’m judge it’s worthy it – we’re going to nan World Cup and I can’t judge it.”
Austria
Like Scotland, Ralf Rangnick’s broadside will beryllium making their first quality astatine a World Cup since France 98. A 1-1 tie pinch Bosnia-Herzegovina secured apical spot successful Group H successful nan last game. Marko Arnautovic, now 36 and playing his nine shot astatine Red Star Belgrade, led nan measurement pinch 8 goals successful nan qualifying campaign.
Switzerland
Switzerland person reached each World Cup finals since 2006 and continued that grounds by topping qualifying Group B pinch 4 wins from six matches. Having exited astatine nan last-16 shape for nan past 3 World Cup finals, however, Murat Yakin’s broadside – who are captained by Granit Xhaka - will beryllium hoping to yet spell further this clip astir successful North America.
See nan afloat Uefa standings here.
North America, Central America and nan Caribbean
The 3 automatic qualification spots person been taken by Curaçao, Haiti and Panama. Jamaica and Suriname go to the intercontinental playoffs arsenic nan 2 champion runners-up.
Curaçao
The Dutch Caribbean land federation are going to their first World Cup and are nan smallest federation by organization (156,000) to person qualified for a finals. They sealed their spot pinch a goalless tie successful Jamaica successful nan absence of their coach, Dick Advocaat, nan 78-year-old erstwhile Rangers and Netherlands head missing nan crippled for individual reasons. Curaçao went done qualifying unbeaten.
Haiti
Haiti, who last appeared successful nan World Cup successful 1974, secured their spot pinch a 2-0 triumph complete Nicaragua. The decisive triumph was achieved successful Curaçao, wherever nan squad person played location qualifiers owing to unrest successful their homeland. They are coached by nan Frenchman Sébastien Migné, whose erstwhile posts see Congo-Brazzaville, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea. Two squad members, Hannes Delcroix and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, are successful English football.
Panama
A 3-0 triumph complete El Salvador took Panama backmost to nan World Cup, their only erstwhile quality having travel successful 2018. They qualified unbeaten nether nan erstwhile Leeds and Union Saint-Gilloise coach Thomas Christiansen. Several of nan squad play successful Venezuela aliases Mexico. The right-back Michael Amir Murillo is pinch Marseille.
See nan afloat Concacaf standings here.
The US, Canada and Mexico are each taking portion arsenic tourney hosts.
Oceania
One automatic spot has been secured, by New Zealand. New Caledonia, a French overseas territory not recognised by Fifa until 2004, will play successful March’s intercontinental playoffs aft losing nan Oceania qualifying final.
New Zealand
In a onshore wherever rugby national is simply a sporting religion, immoderate occurrence by nan All Whites is to beryllium savoured. New Zealand reached nan World Cup for nan first clip successful 16 years by beating New Caledonia 3-0 astatine Auckland’s Eden Park, nan wall of their 15-player codification cousins nan All Blacks. The triumph didn’t travel easy, however. Goalless successful nan first half, Darren Bazeley’s broadside mislaid their captain, Chris Wood, to a hep wounded early successful nan second. Only aft an hr did Michael Boxall extremity nan stalemate, scoring his first world extremity aged 36. Kosta Barbarouses doubled New Zealand’s lead soon after, earlier Eli Just wrapped up nan consequence successful nan 80th minute.
See nan afloat OFC standings here.
South America
The six nonstop spots person each been each filled. Bolivia secured nan confederation’s playoff spot pinch a astonishment 1-0 triumph complete Brazil successful El Alto.
Argentina
The holders claimed their spot connected 25 March erstwhile Bolivia drew 0-0 pinch Uruguay. The large mobility hovering complete Lionel Scaloni’s world champions is whether Lionel Messi will play astatine nan finals. The Inter Miami guardant has remained coy astir his intentions. “Well, it’s for illustration I’ve said before. I don’t deliberation I’ll play nan adjacent World Cup – not because of age, but nan astir logical point is that I won’t,” said Messi aft helping Argentina hit Venezuela 3-0 past month. The evergreen 38-year-old past backtracked slightly, adding: “It’s astir taking it 1 time astatine a time, trying to consciousness good, and supra each being honorable pinch myself. When I consciousness good, I bask it. When I don’t, honestly, I suffer, and I’d alternatively not beryllium there. So we’ll see.”
Ecuador
La Tri reached nan finals – for nan 5th clip this period – connected 10 June, a goalless tie against Peru successful Lima capable to guarantee Ecuador’s spot pinch 2 matches to spare. Ecuador, who vanished 2nd successful nan standings, hit nan squad who vanished top, Argentina, 1-0 successful Guayaquil successful a lucifer that ended pinch some sides reduced to 10 players by reddish cards. Argentina’s Nicolás Otamendi was sent disconnected successful nan 31st infinitesimal and nan hosts capitalised connected their numerical advantage erstwhile Enner Valencia scored a punishment successful first-half stoppage time. Ecuador were besides reduced to 10 men erstwhile nan Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caicedo was dismissed successful nan 50th minute.
Colombia
Uruguay
Colombia are a colourful characteristic of immoderate finals and, aft missing retired connected Qatar 2022, are backmost aft James Rodríguez led his broadside to a 3-0 conclusion of Bolivia connected 4 September, Néstor Lorenzo’s broadside reaching nan 2026 tourney pinch a crippled to spare. La Tricolor progressed to nan quarter-finals successful 2014 and successful Luis Díaz boast 1 of nan game’s astir compelling talents. The winger scored 30 goals successful his past 2 seasons astatine Liverpool, helping them triumph nan Premier League, and has been successful scintillating shape since a summertime move to Bayern Munich. One to watch: Benfica’s grounds signing, Richard Ríos. The 25-year-old has made a dazzling commencement to life astatine nan Estádio da Luz aft his move from Palmeiras.
Brazil
Carlo Ancelotti’s broadside extended Brazil’s grounds arsenic nan only squad to play astatine each World Cup by beating Paraguay 1-0 connected 10 June to decorativeness 5th successful nan standings, their lowest qualifying position. The five-time winners will make their 23rd quality successful adjacent year’s tourney but, pinch constricted mentation clip aft arriving successful May from Real Madrid, nan Italian coach is relying connected squad tone and individual talent. “I deliberation much tactical activity is needed to refine crippled strategy. All of this tin beryllium very important, but nan astir important portion is not nan strategy, it is nan cognition of nan players connected nan pitch. For that, it doesn’t return overmuch clip to prepare,” says Ancelotti.
Paraguay
For nan first clip since 2010 Paraguay will participate successful nan World Cup aft a tricky 0-0 tie astatine location against Ecuador connected 4 September. Gustavo Alfaro’s broadside impressed by holding disconnected their opponents to snare nan important constituent they needed. Miguel Almirón, who near Newcastle successful January, and nan erstwhile Brighton midfielder Julio Enciso, now astatine Strasbourg, are 2 players acquainted to Premier League adherents. Almirón was 16 years aged successful 2010 and nan Atlanta United skipper still recalls watching Paraguay’s first lucifer – a 1-1 tie pinch Italy successful Cape Town – pinch his friends astatine his location successful nan San Pablo neighbourhood of Asunción. “That fills you pinch pride, to spot your state successful this immense competition,” Almirón said. “You ever dream of that.”
See nan afloat Conmebol standings here.
