These nations could debut at the 2026 World Cup

Cape Verde, CONCACAF, New Zealand and the lower half of the AFC.

 

Big Cape Verdean community in the Northeast, in places like Bridgeport and Providence, Rhode Island.. also in and around Massachusetts.

Big ups to mis islenos mane.

 

🇨🇻📧 Shamrock Rovers defender Pico Lopes could be the first-ever player recruited by his national team via LinkedIn to play in a World Cup!

Lopes was approached by the Cape Verdean federation but could not understand Portuguese & thought it was spam. Fortunately, they tried… pic.twitter.com/velbcUXdET

— The Sweeper (@SweeperPod) October 13, 2025

 

Everybody has the potential to fill the host groups except the Pot 1 seeded teams and CONCACAF teams.

 

Nigeria leading 3-0. One more goal and they are going to the play offs right. Instead of Burkina Faso. Or am I wrong

 

Yup.

They need just one more goal and the clock is ticking

 

Can they do it. They have been bad this qualifiers, but I Think if they reach the playoffs that they Will qualify for the tournament. The buffer the occasion they usually gets better

 

4-0!!

 

Damn! Tough for Burkina Faso. Gotta feel for them man

 

I know CIV practically has the qualification in the bag but imagine a playoff of Cameroon, CIV, Nigeria and DR Congo that would be brutal

 

yes it really is a shame. I expect DR Congo to beat Sudan. But I wanted Burkina to get a spot

 

Saw the end of the Qatar UAE match. There was 15 added minutes but the Qatar wasted atleast 6-7 minutes. Still the ref blew the wistle after exactly 15 minutes. Very very bad from the ref but not surprising

 

CAPE VERDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Concacaf qualifiers have been more entertaining than I thought.

In Group A, Guatemala has two home matches (against Panama and Suriname) and they are in full in control of their destiny. They qualify by winning both games.

Panama and Suriname can win their two games and still depend on GD to qualify.

In Group B, it's a little bit dissapointing that Curaçao fumbled their advantage by tying T&T after beating Jamaica.

In Group C I think everything will be decided in the Costa Rica vs Honduras of the last matchday. Don't really see Haiti winning the group after losing all their GD against Honduras

 

Was going to say don't think there'll be too many new qualifiers, but Concacaf could pull out one or two. I think Curacao really blew it not holding on against TnT and now must get a result in Jamaica, but qualification is still in their hands. Both Suriname and Guatemala could battle it out to be a first time qualifier from their group.

Keep thinking Haiti should be included in this conversation, but actually they've been to as many World Cups as Jamaica, Panama, and Trinidad & Tobago. Was before my time but still counts, so it's basically Guatemala, Suriname, and Curacao to watch out for.

UEFA does have some teams going into the playoffs maybe like Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and of course Moldova and San Marino (due to Nations League) but the playoff seedings / format will probably not be kind to them.