Fun Fact... Qualification has already started for the 2026 World Cup.
AFC If you're a Lifer from... Mongolia | Maldives | Guam | Sri Lanka | Macau | Cambodia | Timor-Leste | Brunei | Bhutan | Laos... Well I've bad news for you, none of those sides will be lifting the World Cup in the United States, having crashed out of Qualifying at the first hurdle.
On the other hand; Afghanistan | Bangladesh | Singapore | Yemen | Myanmar | Pakistan | Chinese Taipei | Indonesia | Hong Kong | Nepal have all advanced to the 2nd Round - They've now been drawn into 9-Groups, along with the rest of AFC
South America Matchday 4/18 is happening tonight.
But its Paraguay | Peru | Bolivia who wont qualify out of the ten teams at present; Ecuador would advance to the Inter-Confederation Play-Offs, the other six... Argentina | Brazil | Colombia | Uruguay | Chile | Venezuela sit in the automatic spots, in that order.
Bringing you information you never realised you cared about, or still don't give a shit about
Got a feeling Sri Lanka were first team eliminated for World Cup 2022 and seems not done much better this time.
Sri Lanka got to the Second Round of AFC Qualification in 2022.
Should add that Pakistan beating Cambodia 1-0, was their first ever victory in the World Cup - Brunei have to go to the teachers office, after losing 12-0 on agg. to Indonesia
Couple of other stats... - Rafael Santos Borré of Colombia scored the first goal in the whole of Qualifying. - Guam were the first country to be eliminated from the 2026 World Cup.
As for the other Continents:
Africa: Is set to start next month - All teams are split into nine Groups of six... the Group winners from each Group will Qualify automatically, the four best Runner-Ups will go into a Round Robin Play-Off, with the winners also going to the World Cup.
North America: Will start in March 2024 - There are going to be three Rounds to go through, with three countries getting automatic Qualification, with two countries going to the Inter-Continental Play-Offs
Oceania: Will start in September 2024 - Another Qualifying format with three rounds, one team (New Zealand), will automatically qualify for the Finals for the first time ever, the second best team will qualify for the Inter-Continental Play-Offs
Europe: Qualifying wont start until March 2025 - Typical format you'd expect from UEFA, with the teams split into 12-Groups that'll consist of 4-5 teams... The Group winners will go to the World Cup...
The twelve teams that finish second, will be joined by the four best teams from the Nations League 2024-25 (that finished neither first nor second). Those 16-teams will be split into four Play-Off Round Robin paths, with the four winners also going to the World Cup.
Los Angeles potentially being replaced as a host city due to disagreements between Kroenke and FIFA.
Potential to keep games in LA by using the Colosseum (although it’s a major downgrade from the newly built stadium). Or talks of Las Vegas stepping in to host matches.
Los Angeles potentially being replaced as a host city due to disagreements between Kroenke and FIFA.
Potential to keep games in LA by using the Colosseum (although it’s a major downgrade from the newly built stadium). Or talks of Las Vegas stepping in to host matches.
It would be a major omission if LA doesn't hold anything.
Whilst England have been battling the might of Malta and Macedonia to ensure a favourable Euro 2024 draw...
There countries battling elsewhere for the right to Qualify for the 2026 World Cup - Number in brackets are July FIFA World Rankings
AFC Second Round kicked off this break, with each Country completing two games
Currently nine Groups of four teams, with the likes of Japan (20) | Australia (27) | South Korea (28) now entering at this Stage of Qualification - The only really surprise result was Uzbekistan (74) earning a 2-2 draw with Iran (22).
Pakistan (193) who won their first ever World Cup game in the last round, lost 4-0 to Saudi Arabia, and 6-1 to Jordan.
CAF Africa's Qualification process got under way this International Break
Comoros (130) opened their campaign with back to back wins against Ghana (59) and Central African Republic (125)
Rwanda (139) also top their Group (which would guarantee automatic Qualification to the World Cup) with four points after 2-0 win over South Africa (62), and 0-0 draw with Zimbabwe (124) - That Group also includes Nigeria (39), who have just the two draws at the moment, both games ending 1-1 against Lesotho (152) and Zimbabwe
Elsewhere and Eritrea (198) have withdrawn from the 2026 World Cup... Sorry Eritrean fans!!
COMMEBOL Brazil lost their first game on home soil in 64-games, losing to rivals Argentina - We're up to game week six out of 18 games in this Qualifying Region, and Brazil occupy the last of the automatic Qualification spots as things stand, so could be forced to settle for the Inter-Confederation Play-Off route... That will be very unlikely though.
The current top six are as follows
Argentina (1) | Uruguay (16) | Colombia (17) | Venezuela (57) | Ecuador (40) | Brazil (3)
Whilst Paraguay (49) would take the Play-Off spot as things stand.
South America will take a break from Qualifiers with the next round not until next September
CONCACAF We end the Race around the World with a brief mention for North America
The First Round of Qualification will commence in March, so something for you to all look forward to...
The four lowest teams based on the FIFA Rankings will face off against each other home and away - As things stand it'll be as follows, although the FIFA Rankings will no doubt differ between now and then, so it could yet all change.
Anguilla (206) vs Turks & Caicos Isles (201) | US Virgin Isles (205) | vs British Virgin Isles (204)
The two winners of these games will progress to the 2nd Round
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AFC
If you're a Lifer from... Mongolia | Maldives | Guam | Sri Lanka | Macau | Cambodia | Timor-Leste | Brunei | Bhutan | Laos... Well I've bad news for you, none of those sides will be lifting the World Cup in the United States, having crashed out of Qualifying at the first hurdle.
On the other hand; Afghanistan | Bangladesh | Singapore | Yemen | Myanmar | Pakistan | Chinese Taipei | Indonesia | Hong Kong | Nepal have all advanced to the 2nd Round - They've now been drawn into 9-Groups, along with the rest of AFC
South America
Matchday 4/18 is happening tonight.
But its Paraguay | Peru | Bolivia who wont qualify out of the ten teams at present; Ecuador would advance to the Inter-Confederation Play-Offs, the other six... Argentina | Brazil | Colombia | Uruguay | Chile | Venezuela sit in the automatic spots, in that order.
Bringing you information you never realised you cared about, or still don't give a shit about
Should add that Pakistan beating Cambodia 1-0, was their first ever victory in the World Cup - Brunei have to go to the teachers office, after losing 12-0 on agg. to Indonesia
Couple of other stats...
- Rafael Santos Borré of Colombia scored the first goal in the whole of Qualifying.
- Guam were the first country to be eliminated from the 2026 World Cup.
As for the other Continents:
Africa: Is set to start next month - All teams are split into nine Groups of six... the Group winners from each Group will Qualify automatically, the four best Runner-Ups will go into a Round Robin Play-Off, with the winners also going to the World Cup.
North America: Will start in March 2024 - There are going to be three Rounds to go through, with three countries getting automatic Qualification, with two countries going to the Inter-Continental Play-Offs
Oceania: Will start in September 2024 - Another Qualifying format with three rounds, one team (New Zealand), will automatically qualify for the Finals for the first time ever, the second best team will qualify for the Inter-Continental Play-Offs
Europe: Qualifying wont start until March 2025 - Typical format you'd expect from UEFA, with the teams split into 12-Groups that'll consist of 4-5 teams... The Group winners will go to the World Cup...
The twelve teams that finish second, will be joined by the four best teams from the Nations League 2024-25 (that finished neither first nor second). Those 16-teams will be split into four Play-Off Round Robin paths, with the four winners also going to the World Cup.
Potential to keep games in LA by using the Colosseum (although it’s a major downgrade from the newly built stadium). Or talks of Las Vegas stepping in to host matches.
The draw for the league phase will take place in Paris, France, on 8 February 2024, along with UEFA Congress
Women's World Cup: Saudi Arabia wants to host 2035 tournament
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67160971There countries battling elsewhere for the right to Qualify for the 2026 World Cup - Number in brackets are July FIFA World Rankings
AFC
Second Round kicked off this break, with each Country completing two games
Currently nine Groups of four teams, with the likes of Japan (20) | Australia (27) | South Korea (28) now entering at this Stage of Qualification - The only really surprise result was Uzbekistan (74) earning a 2-2 draw with Iran (22).
Pakistan (193) who won their first ever World Cup game in the last round, lost 4-0 to Saudi Arabia, and 6-1 to Jordan.
CAF
Africa's Qualification process got under way this International Break
Comoros (130) opened their campaign with back to back wins against Ghana (59) and Central African Republic (125)
Rwanda (139) also top their Group (which would guarantee automatic Qualification to the World Cup) with four points after 2-0 win over South Africa (62), and 0-0 draw with Zimbabwe (124) - That Group also includes Nigeria (39), who have just the two draws at the moment, both games ending 1-1 against Lesotho (152) and Zimbabwe
The other Group leaders are currently;
Egypt (34) | Senegal (18) | Cameroon (43) | Morocco (13) | Ivory Coast (51) | Algeria (33) | Tunisia (31)
Elsewhere and Eritrea (198) have withdrawn from the 2026 World Cup... Sorry Eritrean fans!!
COMMEBOL
Brazil lost their first game on home soil in 64-games, losing to rivals Argentina - We're up to game week six out of 18 games in this Qualifying Region, and Brazil occupy the last of the automatic Qualification spots as things stand, so could be forced to settle for the Inter-Confederation Play-Off route... That will be very unlikely though.
The current top six are as follows
Argentina (1) | Uruguay (16) | Colombia (17) | Venezuela (57) | Ecuador (40) | Brazil (3)
Whilst Paraguay (49) would take the Play-Off spot as things stand.
South America will take a break from Qualifiers with the next round not until next September
CONCACAF
We end the Race around the World with a brief mention for North America
The First Round of Qualification will commence in March, so something for you to all look forward to...
The four lowest teams based on the FIFA Rankings will face off against each other home and away - As things stand it'll be as follows, although the FIFA Rankings will no doubt differ between now and then, so it could yet all change.
Anguilla (206) vs Turks & Caicos Isles (201) | US Virgin Isles (205) | vs British Virgin Isles (204)
The two winners of these games will progress to the 2nd Round
Big derby game there.