These nations could debut at the 2026 World Cup

Yes definitely. To go from round 1 (a round designed to eliminate the weaker minnows) to round 4 is a great achievement. Along the way they recorded a win and a draw against Saudi Arabia and a draw against Australia, both regular world cup qualifiers. They will be disappointed right now but should be proud of how far they've come.

 

Yup. If anything, it's clear they need to keep acquiring Euro players and get a better coach (should've never let the Korean coach go).

 

Niger secured an important away win against Zambia. They are now ranked 2nd in the runners-up standings. However, there are still five teams that could overtake them. Cameroon, DR Congo, and Burkina Faso are all favorites to win their matches and move ahead of Niger. Madagascar could also overtake them with an away win against Mali, although that will be difficult.

Gabon are guaranteed a playoff spot. The three other favorites to secure a playoff place are Cameroon, DR Congo, and Burkina Faso.

Personally, I think it would be a shame if Madagascar miss out. They’ve had a tough group and really performed well.

 

Actually there are 6 teams that can overtake them, Nigeria is on 14p but thew will lose only 2p(both games against Mozambique ended 1-1 draw) so with a win against Benin they can finish 2nd(very good chances) and they will be ranked ahead of Niger based on GD.

 

yes that is correct. And then it comes Down to GD with Burkina Faso, who have Ethiopia at Home

 

Madagascar was never going to beat Mali away

Mali 4 Madagascar 1

 

Just think about what could have been for Mali had they played like this earlier.. but 4 dropped points v Central African Republic let them down...

 

Burkina Faso with a very important win. Nigeria need a Big win, or Cameroon or DR Congo to mess up

 

I still feel South Africa is in the drivers seat.

Beat Rwanda by 2 goals and hope Nigeria at least ties Benin.

I dont see Benin beating Nigeria in an away match.

Benins coach Gernot Rohr coached Nigeria at the 2018WC and he was fired during the 2022WCQ, and Nigerias football has tanked ever since, with the exception being the last AFCON. It would be the ultimate revenge if Rohr qualified tiny Benin over Nigeria.

My prediction

South Africa 2 Rwanda 1
Nigeria 2 Benin 1

South Africa will qualify.

Both Benin and Nigeria will fall short of a top 4 2nd place.

 

Six Rotterdammers on the hunt for a World Cup ticket: who are these Cape Verdean football heroes?
The tiny African archipelago of Cape Verde can write the ultimate underdog story tonight by getting a World Cup ticket against Eswatini.
With six Rotterdammers in the selection, the influence from the port city is enormous.


From left to right: Dailon Livramento, Sidny Lopes Cabral, Laros Duarte, Deroy Duarte, Garry Mendes Rodrigues and Jamiro Monteiro. © SOPA Images / Getty / Julia Schulz / Viktoria Köln / Carla Vos / Instagram.com/ryanhenkdonk

 

Only 2 of those players are starting. The team is more Portugal influenced than netherlands. Its not like Suriname and Curacao

 

Cape Verde scores while Cameroon is still tied with Angola! If they don't concede, they're through.

 

2-0 up now!

It's looking more likely than ever.

 

Start the celebrations.

 

Cameroon, Mali and (if they don't make it) Nigeria have to start some serious soul searching after fumbling some pretty accessible WCQ groups.

 

3-0 for Cape Verde now!

Cape Verde about to be the 2nd smallest nation (in terms of population) to ever make the WC after Iceland in 2018.

 

It’s a Party in Praia! 🎉

For the first time ever, Cape Verde 🇨🇻 has qualified for the #FIFAWorldCup!

They are the 21st nation to qualify (18th non-host) and the sixth from Africa! pic.twitter.com/gz7Fk3it3x

— The International Window (@windowintlpod) October 13, 2025

 

Lets go! So Well deserved. Cameroon like Tunisia have been to many World Cup since 98 without impressing.

 

22nd not 21st but otherwise a huge performance from them, especially considering their shambolic AFCON qualification campaign.

Cameroon with a disappointing campaign so far but they're very likely going to the playoffs to fight for another chance at the WC.

 

https://www.ad.nl/voetbal/groot-fee...t-historisch-ticket-voor-wk-voetbal~a58c65f5/
Big party in Rotterdam: Cape Verde grabs historic ticket for World Cup football
with video
Party from Rotterdam-West to Praia: Cape Verde has qualified for the 2026 World Cup on Monday evening. Cape Verde won 3-0 against Eswatini in the tenth and final match in the group, which kept Cameroon ahead.

Minne Groenstege 13 October 2025, 20:20Last update: 21:31
Cape Verde achieved 23 points from ten matches, four points more than number two Cameroon, which was stuck at home at 0-0 against Angola. In the first half, Cape Verde tried everything, but the team of national coach Pedro Leitão Brito (nicknamed Bubista) did not get any really good chances. Rotterdam striker Dailon Livramento came close, but the 24-year-old striker from the Portuguese Casa Pia (on loan from Hellas Verona) shot wide.
At halftime, Cape Verde will have been put on edge in the dressing room, because the start of the second half was perfect. In the 47th minute, Livramento scored the 1-0 goal from close range. In the 54th minute, Willy Semedo made it 2-0 against Eswatini. Of course, that didn't go wrong anymore. In extra time, veteran Stopira even made it 3-0, after which the party in Praia and Rotterdam-West could really begin. In the Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde in Praia, 15,000 overjoyed spectators were present, but there will also be a big party in Rotterdam-West.

Cape Verde is currently the second smallest country ever to qualify for a World Cup. About 600,000 people live there, spread over the ten islands that make up Cape Verde. Now Iceland is still the country with the fewest inhabitants ever at a World Cup. Iceland, with about 300,000 inhabitants, participated in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Curaçao, the team of national coach Dick Advocaat, can become the smallest country ever at a World Cup. About 155,000 people live on Curaçao.

It will not only be a party in the Cape Verdean capital Praia, but also in Rotterdam-West. There is a Cape Verdean community of about 35,000 to 40,000 people. At the Rotterdam amateur club FC Maense, near the Castle of Sparta, there is always fanatical sympathy in the canteen during international matches.
The Tubarões Azuis (The Blue Sharks) of Cape Verde will be the third debutant at the 2026 World Cup, where 48 participating countries will be present for the first time. Earlier, Uzbekistan and Jordan already qualified in the Asian qualifying series. There are now 22 of the 48 participants in the World Cup known. There is no European country that has qualified yet. The draw will be held on Friday 5 December.

 

If Kosovo beats Slovenia and Switzerland next month they too will debut at the final competition.

 

I suppose countries like Cape Verde are being considered the weak ones and potential fill for the three hosts groups?

 

A bit of a tall order, though.