On the Edge! The National Teams That Could Miss the 2026 World Cup

  • The 48-team expansion hasn’t guaranteed a ticket for everyone. Several big nations are still hanging by a thread in the race to the 2026 World Cup.

Soccer Football - World Cup - European Qualifiers - Group I - Norway v Italy - Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway - June 6, 2025 Italy's Gianluigi Donnarumma, Nicolo Rovella and Destiny Udogie react Cornelius Poppe/NTB via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NORWAY OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN NORWAY.
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - CONCACAF Qualifiers - Group C - Costa Rica v Nicaragua - Estadio Nacional, San Jose, Costa Rica - October 13, 2025 Costa Rica coach Miguel Herrera reacts REUTERS/Mayela Lopez