By Kunle Solaja.

Despite the expansion of the FIFA World Cup to 48 teams, several high-profile nations—including some ranked within the top 30 globally—will not feature at the 2026 finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada, underlining the increasingly unforgiving nature of modern qualification.

The most striking absence is the four-time world champions Italy national football team, who failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup after losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European playoffs.
Once a permanent fixture at the global showpiece, Italy’s continued absence has triggered widespread criticism at home, with many describing the situation as a national sporting crisis.

Europe’s Big Casualties

Italy are not alone among Europe’s elite in missing out. Countries such as Denmark’s national football team, Poland’s national football team and Serbia’s national football team, all of whom have consistently hovered around the top tiers of FIFA rankings in recent years, also failed to make the cut.

Poland’s elimination is particularly significant, as it likely marks the end of World Cup ambitions for veteran striker Robert Lewandowski, while Denmark’s absence comes after years of steady progress on the international stage.

Serbia, boasting a generation of technically gifted players, were also among those eliminated during the qualification process.

African Heavyweights Left Out

Africa will send a record number of teams to the expanded tournament, yet notable absentees remain.
Three-time African champions Nigeria national football team and five-time AFCON winners Cameroon national football team both failed to qualify after disappointing campaigns.

Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions are among Africa’s big names missing at the World Cup.

Nigeria’s absence is particularly glaring given the quality of players such as Victor Osimhen, while Cameroon fell short despite a squad featuring several Europe-based stars.

South American Decline

In South America, the Chile national football team continue their dramatic fall from grace. Once Copa América champions, Chile finished bottom of the CONMEBOL qualifying table, extending their World Cup absence to three editions.

Emerging Pattern: Expansion Without Guarantees

The absence of these established football nations highlights a key reality: even with 48 slots, World Cup qualification remains fiercely competitive.

While debutants such as Cape Verde, Curaçao and Uzbekistan have secured historic places at the finals, traditional powers have faltered under pressure.

Analysts note that this shift reflects a broader trend in global football—greater parity, improved development structures in smaller nations, and declining dominance of traditional heavyweights.

A World Cup Without Familiar Faces

The 2026 tournament will therefore present a unique landscape—one where emerging nations share the stage while several established powers watch from home.

For fans, it promises freshness and unpredictability. For the absent giants, however, it serves as a stark reminder that reputation alone is no longer enough to secure a place at football’s biggest event.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

By Kunle Solaja.

A remarkable storyline is emerging ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as no fewer than seven countries have secured returns to the global football showpiece after prolonged absences spanning decades.

Leading the list are Haiti and DR Congo, both of which are back on the World Cup stage after an astonishing 52-year absence. Haiti last featured at the tournament in 1974, the same year DR Congo, then known as Zaire, made their only previous appearance.

European sides Scotland national football team, Norway national football team and Austria national football team are also ending 28-year waits.

Scotland’s last outing came in 1998, while Norway and Austria have similarly endured long spells away from the competition despite periods of promise in European football.

South America will see the return of the Paraguay national football team, who are back after a 16-year hiatus, having last appeared at the 2010 finals in South Africa.

On the African continent, the South Africa national football team will make a long-awaited comeback after 16 years, their previous participation coming when they hosted the tournament in 2010.

The wave of returning nations highlights the expanding opportunities created by the enlarged 48-team format for the 2026 World Cup, which will be staged across Canada, the United States and Mexico.

For many of these countries, qualification marks not just a sporting achievement but a generational milestone, rekindling national pride and offering a new era of players the chance to perform on football’s biggest stage after decades in the wilderness.

With traditional powers and returning underdogs set to collide, the 2026 tournament is already shaping up to be one of the most diverse and unpredictable in World Cup history.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Gennaro Gattuso’s reign as Italy manager ended on Friday, the country’s football federation (FIGC) said, ​after the national team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup.

Italy lost Tuesday’s playoff final in Bosnia on penalties, and the ‌four-time champions have now missed out on three consecutive World Cups.

Gattuso’s departure came a day after FIGC President Gabriele Gravina resigned, and national team delegation head Gianluigi Buffon stepped down from his role.

“With a heavy heart, having failed to achieve the goal we had set ourselves, I consider my time in charge of the national ​team to be over,” Gattuso said in a statement.

“The Azzurri shirt is the most precious asset in football, which is why ​it is right to facilitate future technical assessments with immediate effect.

“It has been an honour to lead the ⁠national team, and to do so with a group of lads who have shown commitment and loyalty to the shirt.”

The FIGC thanked Gattuso ​for his work.

“The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Gennaro Ivan Gattuso have mutually terminated the contract that bound the Calabrian coach to the helm of ​the Italian national football team,” the FIGC said in a statement.

“The FIGC thanks Gattuso and his entire staff for the professionalism, dedication and passion with which they have worked over the past nine months and wishes them every success in their future careers.

GATTUSO APPOINTED ON ONE-YEAR CONTRACT

Gattuso was appointed in June on a one-year contract, ​replacing Luciano Spalletti who was sacked following Italy’s 3-0 defeat by Norway in their opening group game, although he remained in place for the 2-0 ​win over Moldova the next day.

Italy won their next five group games under Gattuso, but given Norway’s far superior goal difference, they were resigned to another ‌World Cup ⁠playoff before the final group game, which Norway won 4-1 at the San Siro.

Italy had lost at the playoff stage of the last two World Cups, but looked on course to make it this time after a 2-0 win over Northern Ireland in the semi-final, before it all fell apart in Bosnia.

Gattuso’s 10-man team let slip a 1-0 lead and crumbled in the penalty shootout.

After the loss in Zenica, Gattuso said ​it was not the time to ​speak about his future, but ⁠once Gravina made his decision to step away, it was a matter of when Gattuso would follow.

WHO NEXT FOR ITALY?

Gattuso, 48, was a member of Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning squad, but the country ​has failed to come anywhere close to replicating that success in the sport’s biggest tournament.

Italy won ​just one game over ⁠the next two editions, exiting at the group stage on both occasions. While there was a spark of recovery with their Euro 2020 triumph, their continued absence from the World Cup underlined their decline.

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri and Napoli manager Antonio Conte are names being mentioned as Gattuso’s ⁠successor.

Conte ​has managed Italy, taking charge in 2014 and leading them to Euro 2016 where ​his last game was a loss on penalties to Germany in the quarter-finals, having already announced he would leave after the tournament.

Italy’s next game is a friendly in ​Greece on June 7, and they begin their Nations League campaign in September when they host Belgium.

-Reuters

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H