These nations could debut at the 2026 World Cup

Discussion in 'FIFA and Tournaments' started by Kamtedrejt, Aug 5, 2023.

?

Who will qualify for the 2026 World Cup?

Poll closed Nov 5, 2023.
  1. Uzbekistan

    66.7%
  2. Bahrain

    13.3%
  3. Vietnam

    6.7%
  4. Jordan

    3.3%
  5. Burkina Faso

    10.0%
  6. Cape Verde

    13.3%
  7. Gabon

    3.3%
  8. Gambia

    6.7%
  9. Mali

    33.3%
  10. Suriname

    6.7%
  11. Venezuela

    36.7%
  12. Finland

    23.3%
  13. Oman

    16.7%
  14. Zambia

    10.0%
  15. Equatorial Guinea

    3.3%
  16. Benin

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  17. Guatemala

    23.3%
  18. Curaçao

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  19. Georgia

    10.0%
  20. Albania

    6.7%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Wikipedia does not say anything about when the draw will be or what FIFA Rankings will be used. UEFA starts in March, and considering that a draw date has not been announced, I would not be surprised if they wait until after the November FIFA Rankings and do the draw in late November or December. There will be 12 groups of 4 or 5. Albania is currently 30th in UEFA in the FIFA Rankings. As of now, Pot 2 would range from Ukraine (25th and 13th among UEFA teams) to Scotland (48th and 24th among UEFA teams). In the likely event that Russia remains suspended, it would be Norway (50th and 25th among UEFA teams), and Albania would be 29th among participating UEFA teams. The FIFA Rankings change slowly, so Albania is likely to be in Pot 3.

    I would not count a team that previously played in a World Cup as a debutant even if they did not have to qualify. If a team is listed in the all-time World Cup table, they cannot be a debutant later.
     
  2. Viking lord

    Viking lord Member

    Uruguay
    Aug 4, 2022
    Nat'l Team:
    Uruguay
    I don’t think a date for the draw has been announced, but they have sort of confirmed that they will use the November FIFA Rankings. The top seeds are going to be all the quarterfinalists of the UNL plus the 4 highest-ranked teams. The rest of the teams will be seeded by the rankings.

    According to this Twitter account, Georgia and Albania (2 potential debutants) are locked into pot 3:
     
  3. Iran fan

    Iran fan Member

    Barcelona
    Iran
    Mar 30, 2022
    Yes, so it really depends on the draw. Even though there arent any of the biggest teams in pot 2 according to the Twitter profile, their still are some teams that are better than others.
     
  4. pogoss

    pogoss Member

    Wydad Casablanca
    Morocco
    Jan 15, 2017
    Japan
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Morocco
    Jordan despite being left by their successful coach is still having good chances to do it.
     
  5. glennaldo_sf

    glennaldo_sf Member+

    Houston Dynamo, Penang FC, Al Duhail
    United States
    Nov 25, 2004
    Doha, Qatar
    Club:
    FL Fart Vang Hedmark
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    it's crazy how far Bulgarian football has fallen.. yes I know it was 30 years ago, but they were in a World Cup semifinal and were a force to be reckoned with throughout the 90s. But they are now a 4th tiered European team going by those seedings just above Luxembourg and far behind the likes of Georgia, Albania, Iceland, etc. That's probably Europe's biggest fall from grace...
     
    Viking lord and Cosmin10 repped this.
  6. ccavalcanti

    ccavalcanti New Member

    Jun 24, 2014
    Club:
    Sao Paulo FC
    I've read that the decline is due to a combination of factors, including lack of investment in football infrastructure, corruption and mismanagement within the Bulgarian Football Union, and the exodus of talented players to foreign leagues. It's a shame to see a team that was once so strong fall so far.
     
    r0adrunner repped this.
  7. r0adrunner

    r0adrunner Member+

    Jun 4, 2011
    London, UK
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Bulgaria is top of its UNL League C group after 2 MDs, so might qualify for the 2026 playoffs via the UNL route.

    It seems to me that Bulgaria is slowly recovering towards a better level, with some nice new stadiums opening in the country with a view to potentially hosting the EURO U21 in the next few years.

    The domination of the league by Ludogorets though is a concern; hopefully CSKA Sofia's new stadium under construction can help the club become competitive again.
     
  8. glennaldo_sf

    glennaldo_sf Member+

    Houston Dynamo, Penang FC, Al Duhail
    United States
    Nov 25, 2004
    Doha, Qatar
    Club:
    FL Fart Vang Hedmark
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I went to Bulgaria 2 years ago and attended a few matches there, one game was at the national stadium, I think it was Lokomotiv Sofia v some team that went out of business and then a CSKA game... both stadiums were in a very poor state. Every other seat at CSKA's were virtually broken but I guess there's a new stadium coming. But when I talked to locals about football, they reminisced about the old days and Stoichkov but seemed really skeptical about the present state of the game.
     
    r0adrunner repped this.
  9. Gibraldo

    Gibraldo Member+

    radnicki nis
    Serbia
    Nov 17, 2005
    Club:
    FK Crvena Zvezda Beograd
    will you switch with Georgia now?

     
    BocaFan repped this.
  10. uuaww

    uuaww Member+

    Nov 21, 2007
    New Orleans, LA
    Club:
    Aston Villa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    They have fallen but I'd argue Latvia have fallen further. This is a team that qualified for the 16 team Euros in 2004 and now they are near the absolute bottom of non micronation teams
     
  11. Dutch footballers are opting en masse for international careers in Asia.
    In the battle for a ticket to the World Cup, Indonesia played a 0-0 draw against Australia on Tuesday.
    Remarkable: no less than ten players with a Dutch passport came into action on behalf of the Asian country. How is this possible? And: why don't above-average Eredivisie footballers like Mees Hilgers and Thom Haye prefer to wait for the Orange Squad?
     
  12. uuaww

    uuaww Member+

    Nov 21, 2007
    New Orleans, LA
    Club:
    Aston Villa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The Dutch team this last window only had 5 outfield players domestically in the squad. Hilgers barely scratched the youth system and is 23. It doesn't look like the Netherlands is interested in him at this point. Haye is 29 and never called up, his time is definitely past with the Dutch. Both are taking a shot at potentially playing in the World Cup instead of waiting for a call which may never happen or isn't happening.

    What would Hilgers roll be on the Netherlands if he did make the roster. Emergency CB? Would that be worth it? This is new territory for the Netherlands but welcome to dual-nationals. You've already had a taste of it with Sergino Dest. Now its gonna get worse. But don't worry, you guys are still loaded.
     
  13. BocaFan

    BocaFan Member+

    Aug 18, 2003
    Queens, NY
    Yeah, aside from being favorites to win their UNL pool, I could also see Georgia getting into the playoffs via the regular WC qualifying. There are several pot 2 teams I would fancy Georgia finishing above.

    But will be very difficult for them to get through the playoffs (two away games, I assume?)....
     
  14. bigsoccertst1

    bigsoccertst1 Member+

    United States
    Sep 22, 2017
    Note that all 1930 WC participants eventually debuted as qualifying teams during subsequent WCs.

    Both CUB and IDN have remained outside of WC since 1938 precisely because qualifiers have kept them out.

    For my part, they would count as debutantes the next time they qualify, as to recognize their additional success to participate in contrast to the WC invitational era. Back then, they just needed to put their hand out to earn a WC ticket.
     
  15. Yeah, the bar should be you earned your ticket by beating teams striving to be on the world stage.
     
  16. Iran fan

    Iran fan Member

    Barcelona
    Iran
    Mar 30, 2022
    What the hell has happened to Bolivia. They won against Colombia who hadnt lost for ages, and they were even Down to 10 men when the score was 0-0.

    They lost all their matches at the Copa America, and lost 5 of their first 6 matches in the qualifiers. It Will be a Big upset, if they qualify for the World Cup.

    Bolivias current form isnt good for Venezuela, who are having a tough time After a very good start
     
  17. pipinogol

    pipinogol Member+

    May 20, 2016
    Club:
    Cary RailHawks U23
    Venezuela snatched a point from Argentina in a joke flooded pitch. Guess that will be their "altitude" from now on.


    En route to 20 points (the golden number IMO). It'll be a close race with Bolivia and Paraguay (who bunkered all game to get a draw in Ecuador).
     
    jagum repped this.
  18. bigsoccertst1

    bigsoccertst1 Member+

    United States
    Sep 22, 2017
    This should teach y'all that Copa America ain't a good indicator of WC qualifiers form, a mistake that pundits make all the time.

    All BOL needed was move their home venue to higher altitude since Sep 2024, and are now racking up points. COL players were inhaling oxygen canisters during the 1st half today.

    The true joke here is that is all you need to qualify out of Conmebol, given its latest overallocation of WC slots.
     
  19. vancity eagle

    vancity eagle Member+

    Apr 6, 2006
    Didn't Boliva beat Argentina 5-0 at home a few years back ?

    They always get shockingly good results at home because of the altitude.

    They are still a poor team.
     
  20. vancity eagle

    vancity eagle Member+

    Apr 6, 2006
    Beating teams on top of a mountain is not a good indicator for form.

    It's just a massive advantage Bolivia and other teams who play at high altitude have.
     
  21. Gibraldo

    Gibraldo Member+

    radnicki nis
    Serbia
    Nov 17, 2005
    Club:
    FK Crvena Zvezda Beograd
    you definitely didn't watch the match yesterday.

     
  22. Gibraldo

    Gibraldo Member+

    radnicki nis
    Serbia
    Nov 17, 2005
    Club:
    FK Crvena Zvezda Beograd
    But one can argue they have disadvantages playing at see level which is unfair to them.

    the discuasion was in the 2000s decade and os now finished.
     
  23. vancity eagle

    vancity eagle Member+

    Apr 6, 2006
    Have they ever achieved anything playing away from home ?
     
  24. Catracho_Azul

    Catracho_Azul Member+

    Jun 16, 2008
    New Orleans
    Club:
    Corinthians Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Honduras
    They beat Chile... In Chile...

    But that's not saying much since this Chile seems pretty abysmal.

    They play Argentina on the road next. Any positive result there would certainly justify their current run of form. Reckon it's a tall task tho.
     
    Paul Calixte repped this.
  25. Iran fan

    Iran fan Member

    Barcelona
    Iran
    Mar 30, 2022
    Well they won their latest away game against Chile 2-1. And they have won 3 matches in a row. One of Them being against Colombia who hasnt lost in ages, and with 10 men almost all of the game.

    3 game May not Sound like much, but in Bolivias case, thats alot
     

Share This Page