48 teams booked their ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. For most, it is a dream come true. Saying you’ve played in a World Cup just hits different.
Unfortunately, not all nations qualify and below are 9 countries that missed the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Let’s discuss a bit about each nation.
Who MISSED the World Cup?
Italy
No surprise here. The 4x World Cup champions miss out for a 3rd straight edition and many wondering WTH is going on.
Denmark
Ranked #20 in the latest FIFA world rankings, this team shouldn’t be missing a World Cup. Lots of quality around the field.
Nigeria
The 26th ranked Super Eagles miss out on the World Cup after failing to win their group in qualifying. They finished 2nd to South Africa. Their last appearance was Russia 2018. Notable players include Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray SK), Ademola Lookman (Atletico Madrid), Alex Iwobi (Fulham), and Wilfried Ndidi (Besiktas).
Poland
Poland super star Robert Lewandowski aged 37 isn’t anywhere at the level he used to be and that is one of the main reasons Poland failed to qualify for the World Cup. They currently sit 35th in the FIFA World Rankings.
Cameroon
We won’t be seeing the Indomitable Lions at the 2026 FIFA World Cup because Cape Verde won their World Cup qualifying group. Cameroon finished in 2nd. Their last appearance was in 2022 in Qatar and ended their tournament on 4 points (beat Brazil 1-0).
Chile
“La Roja” climbed to as high as #3 in the world in 2016. Many people will be familiar with Chile’s all time leading scorer Alexis Sanchez, but he’s no longer around. Chile is in a transitional phase and the world hopes to see them back on the big stage once again.
Serbia
Missed world cups sitting at 3 after losing 2-0 against England in March of 2025 in group K of Euro qualification. They are currently #39 in the FIFA World Rankings.
Russia
The 2018 hosts haven’t been able to participate due to global sanctions. They lost in the quarter-finals in 2018 to Croatia.
Costa Rica
The 6-time World Cup participants best finish was the quarter-finals in Brazil 2014. They seem to be going through a cycle change.
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