World Cup
Five Most Disappointing Teams in World Cup Qualifiers So Far
With only two matches remaining in the World Cup qualifiers for each squad, time is running out for a few teams that are on the outside looking in, reports America based Sports Daily.
While most teams have performed at or above expectations, a few have underperformed on the pitch, and have either been eliminated or are fighting for a final qualifying spot in their group. Let’s take a closer look at those teams.
ARGENTINA
While there has been some recent turmoil in their organizational structure, no one can question the talent available to the Albiceleste. Led by superstar Lionel Messi, this is a squad that no one would’ve predicted to be in danger of missing a trip to the World Cup for the first time since 1970. Yet with two games remaining in CONMEBOL group play, Argentina finds itself in fifth place, a point ahead of Chile.
With their final two matches against Peru and Ecuador, conventional wisdom would see Argentina punch their ticket to Russia. Of course, that same wisdom wouldn’t have predicted last-place Venezuela to tie Argentina 1-1 at Estadio Monumental in their most recent match.
THE NETHERLANDS
With only two games remaining in group play, the Orangemen currently find themselves out of a World Cup spot.
Unhappy with previous manager Danny Blind’s start to the World Cup qualifiers, he was replaced by 69-year-old Dick Advocaat, who had managed the Dutch team three times previously and was seen largely as a caretaker.
Recent results have made him appear as more of an undertaker, with the Orangemen on the verge of elimination.
With the team itself captained by Arjen Robben, and comprised of mostly European international players, one would think the Dutch FA has buyers’ remorse in appointing Advocaat to the managerial post.
Expect Advocaat to be removed immediately as manager after the final group match, given how badly the team has under performed.
CHILE
A team ranked in the top ten of the FIFA World Rankings should’ve already qualified for the World Cup, but Chile has struggled in group play.
With two games remaining, Chile finds itself needing at least four and possibly six points in order to advance beyond the group. But in the CONMEBOL group, every point is difficult and they have an uphill battle to advance to Russia.
Their underperformance is a bit surprising, given their recent successes in tournaments against the same teams.
While the squad is largely the same, there seems to be some dissension among the players. After the 1-0 loss against second-to-last-place Bolivia, star forward Alexis Sanchez ripped his critics (including reporters) on social media and indicated that the negativity was affecting his level of play.
A few days prior to the Sanchez comments, midfielder Arturo Vidal also lashed out at the media following a 3-0 loss at home to Paraguay.
Vidal also announced that he will retire from international play after the current World Cup competition is over for Chile. Based upon where Chile is in the current group stage, that figures to be next month.
CHINA
The last decade has seen China infuse hundreds of millions of dollars into their soccer program in order to establish a foothold on the world stage.
After the creation of their professional football league, they sought out the best managers available to train their players professionally.
Top-flight managers in the China Super League include Luiz Felipe Scolari, Manuel Pellegrini, Andre Villas-Boa and Sven-Goren Eriksson.
They then proceeded to purchase players whom they felt could improve the play of their home-grown players, often paying exorbitant amounts of cash.
While many of these players may have seemed past their prime in terms of ability, the hope was that they would pass along their knowledge of the game to their Chinese teammates and thus improve their play.
The results in the Chinese Super League were lacking, and their home-grown players failed to show improvement on the world stage. The Chinese squad sits in fifth place in the AFC group, behind teams such as Syria and Uzbekistan, and that’s about as disappointing as it gets.
AUSTRIA
Barely a year ago, Das Team was ranked tenth in the FIFA World Rankings. Manager Marcel Koller, appointed to the position in 2011, was considered somewhat of a genius for his ability to cobble together such a successful team without any world-renowned players.
Fast-forward to 2017, and Austria finds itself eliminated from advancing to World Cup competition after only eight games in a relatively weak group.
With the majority of their roster playing across the border in the Bundesliga, Austria certainly seemed to possess the talent to have been more successful within their group.
But after two more matches in October, Das Team’s players will be returning to their clubs, and one would think that Koller will be returning to his native Switzerland in search of his next job assignment.
Nike is investigating a design issue affecting several national team kits ahead of this year’s soccer World Cup, British media reported on Friday, after problems with the shirts became visible during last month’s international break.
Bulging around the shoulder seams was visible on shirts worn by teams including England, France and Uruguay during the international window.
International Friendly – England v Uruguay – Wembley Stadium, London, Britain – March 27, 2026 England’s Cole Palmer reacts Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge/File Photo
A Nike spokesperson told The Guardian newspaper that the company had identified a “minor issue” with the kits, adding that performance was unaffected but the “overall aesthetic is not where it needs to be.”
The issue is present on both match shirts worn by players and replica versions sold to supporters, according to the BBC, with some fans raising concerns.
The American sportswear giant produces kits for a number of World Cup teams, including co-hosts the United States and Canada, as well as Brazil, the Netherlands and Croatia.
The kits have been designed with cooling technology to help players cope with high temperatures expected at the tournament, which kicks off on June 11 and is also co-hosted by Mexico.
The issue comes as the struggling company faces questions over its product innovation and works through excess inventory after a string of weak earnings.
Chief Executive Elliott Hill has pledged to refocus Nike on core sports, and the company said on Friday it had appointed Andy Caine as chief innovation officer.
Nike did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
-Reuters
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Jean-Jacques Ndala has been dramatically dropped from the list of match officials for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in what many observers are describing as a “career-defining red card” following the fallout from the controversial AFCON 2025 Final.
The Congolese referee, once regarded as one of Africa’s elite officials, has reportedly been excluded from FIFA’s final World Cup roster just two months before the tournament—despite having been part of the preparatory pool.
From Centre Stage to Sidelines
Ndala’s fall from contention is closely tied to his handling of the explosive final between Morocco and Senegal in Rabat—a match that has since become one of the most disputed in recent African football history.
The encounter was riddled with controversial decisions, eventually leading to a temporary walk-off by Senegalese players. Matters escalated further when the result was later overturned, placing Ndala’s officiating under intense scrutiny.
Unverified reports have also alleged that the referee may have acted under “institutional instructions,” including directives not to issue red cards to Senegal players after the disruption—claims that remain unproven but have added to the controversy surrounding the match.
In the immediate aftermath, the Confederation of African Football cleared Ndala of any wrongdoing and continued to appoint him to matches, signalling institutional confidence in his competence.
FIFA, however, appears to have taken a different view.
By omitting Ndala from its final list of referees for the World Cup, world football’s governing body has effectively overruled CAF’s stance—raising questions about alignment between continental and global football authorities on refereeing standards and accountability.
With Ndala out, Africa’s central refereeing representation at the 2026 World Cup will now include:
- Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria)
- Amin Mohamed Omar (Egypt)
- Pierre Ghislain Atcho (Gabon)
- Dahane Beida (Mauritania)
The list reflects FIFA’s emphasis on consistency and recent performance, particularly in high-stakes matches.
For Ndala, a FIFA-listed referee since 2013, the decision represents a significant personal and professional setback. Once seen as a strong candidate to officiate at the World Cup, his exclusion underscores how a single high-profile match can reshape a referee’s trajectory.
More broadly, the development highlights the growing scrutiny of officiating in African football and the increasing willingness of FIFA to take independent decisions—even when they diverge from continental bodies.
In the end, while players receive red cards on the pitch, Ndala’s has come off it—issued not in a moment, but in the lingering shadow of a final that refuses to fade from memory.
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According to a report by international news agency, Reuters, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy’s goalkeeper, has pushed back strongly against claims that Italy’s national team players demanded financial bonuses for World Cup qualification, in a development that highlights a growing conversation around player incentives, long associated with African football—now surfacing in Europe.
The controversy followed Italy’s dramatic failure to qualify for the next FIFA World Cup after a 4-1 penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in last month’s playoff final—a result that condemned the four-time champions to a third consecutive absence from football’s biggest stage.
In the aftermath, reports emerged suggesting that players had sought financial rewards tied to qualification. But Donnarumma, speaking to Sky Sports Italia, dismissed the claims in emphatic terms.
“As captain, I never went to ask the Italian national team for a single euro,” he said, insisting that any financial gestures were standard federation practice rather than player-driven demands.
According to him, what exists is a long-standing system where federations reward players after achieving qualification, not before. “Our reward was getting to go to the World Cup,” he added, underlining a distinction between earned bonuses and negotiated incentives.
A Familiar African Narrative Finds European Echo
Sports Village Square recalls that the debate, however, resonates strongly within African football circles, where bonus rows have frequently disrupted national team preparations and even tournament performances.
From delayed payments to player strikes and government interventions, financial disputes have often formed a recurring subplot in African competitions such as the Africa Cup of Nations and FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
What makes the Italian situation noteworthy is not just the denial. Still, the mere existence of such speculation suggests that the culture of bonus expectations is no longer confined to Africa, but may be creeping into the European game.
Fallout Deepens in Italian Football
Italy’s failure has already triggered sweeping changes within its football hierarchy. Gabriele Gravina stepped down as president of the Italian Football Federation amid mounting political pressure.
Former legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon also resigned as delegation chief, while head coach Gennaro Gattuso left his position.
For Donnarumma, however, the focus must now shift away from controversy and toward rebuilding.
“We have to start afresh, move on,” the 27-year-old said. “There are major competitions ahead, like the European Championship and the Nations League. Before thinking about the World Cup, we need to focus on these.”
Beyond Bonuses: A Question of Values
While Italy grapples with sporting failure and administrative upheaval, the bonus debate raises deeper questions about motivation, professionalism, and the evolving economics of international football.
In Africa, bonus disputes have often been framed as issues of fairness and welfare. In Europe, where financial structures are more stable, such narratives were once rare.
But as the Donnarumma episode suggests, the lines may be blurring—turning what was once seen as an “African problem” into a broader, global conversation about how national pride, performance, and pay intersect in modern football.
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