A World Cup with out Brazil? It is by no means occurred earlier than…however their qualification hopes nonetheless dangle within the stability forward of the World Cup 2026.
As co-hosts Canada, Mexico and the USA are the one three nations confirmed to participate at the subsequent World Cup, leaving one other 45 locations on the expanded match up for grabs.
Here is the state of play across the varied confederations at this comparatively early stage of the qualification course of, together with just a few of the important thing speaking factors for every – together with some recognisable names which may miss out.
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World Cup 2026 qualifying: Inter-confederation play-offs
We’re truly a good distance off from enjoying the inter-confederation play-offs, however we will be referencing it so much, so most likely greatest we truly clarify what it’s first.
On the finish of the six confederations’ regular qualification campaigns, six sides who haven’t already certified for the World Cup will play a mini-tournament: one from every confederation besides UEFA, who won’t be concerned.
As an alternative, CONCACAF (North America and the Caribbean) can have two representatives, to make up for 2 of their ordinary qualification slots having been taken up by the internet hosting duties being divided between Canada, Mexico and the US.
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Every confederation has completely different means for figuring out who will signify them, which we’ll get to in flip.
The 2 highest-ranked sides primarily based on FIFA World Rankings will go straight into separate play-off finals, with the opposite 4 unseeded sides enjoying semi-finals towards each other. The winners of the 2 finals will go to the World Cup.
AFC (Asia)
The AFC qualifiers are approaching midway, with two video games performed within the third of 5 qualification phases. AFC will finally ship eight groups to the World Cup 2026, with a ninth getting into the inter-confederation play-offs.
The Asian sides (plus Australia) have to date been narrowed all the way down to 18 groups, who’re at present enjoying a home-and-away spherical robin in three teams of six. The highest two sides in every group will go straight to the World Cup.
The groups ranked third and fourth in every group will then be cut up into one other group stage made up of two teams of three, with the group winners additionally going to the World Cup. The runners-up will compete two-legged play-off to see who represents Asia within the inter-confederation play-offs.
To date, two of the ten rounds of video games have been performed. You’d assume the Australians would have a bonus in a House And Away format, however they’re truly struggling to date: they’ve misplaced at dwelling to Bahrain and drawn away to Indonesia and sit fifth in a tricky Group C. In the identical group, China have in the meantime been battered 7-0 by Japan and misplaced at dwelling to Saudi Arabia.
Uzbekistan, Iran (each Group A) and Japan (Group C) to date have 100% information, whereas Jordan and South Korea lead Group B on objective distinction with 4 factors every (forward of Iraq) and Saudi Arabia are second in Group C; however with eight extra video games to play in every group, there’s nonetheless loads of time for the image to vary.
CAF (Africa)
The African nations are additionally in a bunch stage, cut up into six teams of six – with one exception, following Eritrea’s withdrawal earlier than the video games started, making Group E a fivesome. AFC have six direct qualification slots, plus one inter-confederation play-off place.
The edges will play one another dwelling and away inside their respective teams. The group winners go straight to the World Cup, and the runners-up getting into a play-off to find out the inter-confederation play-off consultant.
4 of the utmost of ten rounds of video games have been performed, and many of the teams are nonetheless very tight – however Egypt have opened up a four-point lead on the prime of Group A, Morocco are three factors clear within the smaller Group E, and Sudan are two factors forward of Senegal in Group B.
Cameroon and the Ivory Coast are at present group leaders by a single level every, whereas Rwanda are prime however stage on factors with each South Africa and Benin in Group C.
Nigeria are the eye-catching under-performers to date: they’ve drawn three and misplaced one in Group C, and until their outcomes enhance over their remaining six video games, they are going to miss out on a second straight World Cup for the primary time since their first look in 1994.
CONCACAF (North America and Caribbean)
CONCACAF have one other three direct qualification slots accessible on prime of the three co-hosts, plus two locations within the inter-confederation play-offs.
They’ve narrowed it all the way down to 30 groups to date, at present enjoying in six teams of 5. They are not enjoying one another each dwelling and away at this stage – it is a single spherical robin of 4 video games per group, of which two have already been performed, and the opposite two will not be performed till June 2025. The 2 greatest sides in every group will go to the subsequent spherical.
Curacao and Haiti are almost there in Group C, with each holding a five-point benefit over the remainder of the group after profitable their first two video games. They’ve a sufficiently big objective distinction benefit that drawing towards each other within the remaining sport would most likely be sufficient to place them each via, if they are not already.
Honduras (Group A), Costa Rica (Group B), Nicaragua and Panama (each Group D), Guatemala and Jamaica (each Group E) and Suriname (Group F) all have 100% information, however none are but assured progress to the second group stage.
Group A’s Cuba have in the meantime been boosted in weird circumstances after they have been awarded a 3-0 win over the Cayman Islands, who forfeited after their fleet of US-based gamers have been unable to journey to Cuba resulting from authorities restrictions.
The subsequent stage takes the type of a home-and-away spherical robin in three teams of 4. The three group winners in that remaining group stage will go straight to the World Cup, whereas the 2 best-ranked runners-up will go to the inter-confederations play-offs.
CONMEBOL (South America)
Lastly, we get a break from a number of phases or groups being cut up into teams. CONMEBOL’s qualification course of is about as easy because it will get: all 10 groups play one another dwelling -and-away in a single league desk. The highest six go to the World Cup, and the group in seventh enter the inter-confederation play-offs.
Eight of the 18 rounds of video games have at present been performed, and…effectively, most likely simpler simply to provide the league desk on this case, is not it?
| # | Staff | Factors |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 18 |
| 2 | Colombia | 16 |
| 3 | Uruguay | 15 |
| 4 | Ecuador | 11* |
| 5 | Brazil | 10 |
| 6 | Venezuela | 10 |
| 7 | Paraguay | 9 |
| 8 | Bolivia | 9 |
| 9 | Chile | 5 |
| 10 | Peru | 3 |
*Ecuador have been docked 3 factors after CAS discovered they supplied falsified paperwork for Byron Castillo in qualifying for the World Cup 2022.
That leaves Brazil in an unconvincing place with ten video games left to play, however they are going to take solace from nonetheless having dwelling video games towards Paraguay and backside aspect Peru on the agenda, in addition to journeys to Venezuela, Bolivia, and Chile…although they’ve to date claimed simply three factors from their 4 away video games, by beating winless Peru.
However additionally they should go to arch-rivals, world champions and league leaders Argentina and to Ecuador, whose type is extra convincing than their factors tally would counsel following that factors deduction.
Venezuela are the one one of many ten by no means to have been to a World Cup earlier than, however are clinging on to an automated qualification place because it stands. Colombia are in the meantime the one unbeaten aspect, with 4 wins (together with over each Argentina and Brazil) and 4 attracts.
OFC (Oceania)
Oceania will get one assured World Cup slot for the primary time, plus a spot within the inter-confederation play-offs.
With the Cook dinner Islands and American Samoa already eradicated, OFC will begin an eight-team group stage subsequent month. They’re cut up into two teams of 4: Solomon Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea in Group A, and New Zealand, Tahiti, Vanuatu and Samoa in Group B.
Fiji and Papua New Guinea will host the Group A video games in October and November, with Vanuatu and New Zealand internet hosting Group B on the identical instances. Sides play one another simply as soon as, with the 2 greatest sides in every group advancing to a knockout stage.
That will probably be easy four-team play-off, set to be held in New Zealand in March 2025. The Group A winner will face the Group B runner-up and vice-versa, with the winners going right into a play-off remaining. The winner of that remaining go straight to the World Cup, and the defeated finalist go to the inter-confederation play-offs.
UEFA (Europe)
Who devised the UEFA format, Avril Lavigne’s boyfriend? As a result of they’ve gone and made issues so difficult.
Proper, so. UEFA will get 16 slots on the World Cup and are not collaborating within the inter-confederation play-offs in any respect.
Groups will probably be drawn into 12 teams of both 4 or 5 groups later this 12 months, who will play one another dwelling and away in March, June, September, October and November 2025. The group winners go straight to the World Cup. Straightforward. Tremendous.
We then get a play-off stage in March 2026, which is made up of the 12 group runners-up plus the 4 greatest Nations League group winners who completed exterior the highest two of their qualifying teams. That is not one large 16-team play-off, however somewhat 4 pairs of semi-finals. The very best-seeded sides will host the semis, with the venues for the play-off finals set to be randomly drawn. The 4 winners of these play-off finals get the remaining World Cup locations.
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