The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be a highly anticipated event, but not all teams and players will be making the cut. Here's a breakdown of which players and teams are missing out on the tournament, along with some surprising names and facts.
Missing Out on the World Cup: A Global Overview
A total of 145 teams have already been eliminated from the 2026 World Cup qualifying process, leaving 42 spots to be decided. Out of the 48 teams that will compete in the tournament, 42 places have been secured, with the remaining six to be finalized during the international break in March.
While some teams will be making their World Cup debut, such as Curacao, Uzbekistan, and Cape Verde, many of the participants will be familiar names in the football world. However, several major footballing nations have missed out on a spot at next year's World Cup.
European Exclusions: A Surprising Turn of Events
From Europe, Serbia, Greece, and Hungary are among the biggest names that will not feature in the tournament. These exclusions are particularly notable given the continent's rich footballing history.
Population Giants Left Out
China and India, two of the most populous countries in the world, will not be playing in the tournament. This is a significant oversight, considering the potential fan base and interest these countries could bring to the event.
African Giants Fall Short
Nigeria, a team with a strong World Cup history, has been knocked out of Africa's play-offs, meaning they will not be participating in 2026. Similarly, Cameroon, a quarter-finalist in 1990, has also missed out.
North and Central American Disappointment
Trinidad and Tobago, who played in England's group at the 2006 World Cup, is among the countries from North America and the Caribbean that will not be playing in the newly formatted tournament. Costa Rica and Honduras, both with notable World Cup appearances, have also been eliminated.
South American and Oceanian Exclusions
Venezuela, Peru, and Chile are the three South American countries that will not be featuring in the tournament. Nine out of 11 countries from Oceania have also failed to qualify, which is a significant number of absences from the Pacific region.
Remaining Opportunities
With 42 qualified teams and 145 eliminated, there are still 22 teams with a chance to qualify through the intercontinental or European play-offs. This means that the tournament is far from final, and there are still opportunities for underdogs to make a surprise appearance.
Notable Players Missing Out
The absence of top players from around the world is a significant aspect of this story. Some of the greatest names in football history have never made it to the World Cup due to their nations' failure to qualify. George Best and George Weah, both legendary players, missed out due to Northern Ireland and Liberia's non-qualification.
A starting line-up of the best 11 players not going to the World Cup includes a Premier League-winning midfielder, a La Liga-winning goalkeeper, and two players who finished in the top 20 of the 2025 Ballon d'Or list.
The BBC Sport Team's Selection
The BBC Sport team has compiled a list of top players not going to the World Cup, featuring a mix of experienced and rising stars. The starting 11 includes:
- Jan Oblak (Slovenia) - Atletico Madrid's goalkeeper, with 82 caps and 381 La Liga appearances.
- Ola Aina (Nigeria) - Right-back who helped Nottingham Forest return to the Europa League.
- Willi Orban (Hungary) - Centre-back playing alongside Nikola Milenkovic (Serbia).
- Milos Kerkez (Hungary) - Left-back joining forces with Orban.
- Bryan Mbuemo (Cameroon) - Manchester United forward and the team's top scorer this season.
- Dominik Szoboszlai (Hungary) - Liverpool midfielder spearheading the midfield.
- Carlos Baleba (Cameroon) - Brighton's player.
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia) - Georgian winger who finished 12th in the Ballon d'Or.
- Serhou Guirassy (Guinea) - Borussia Dortmund striker and Ballon d'Or nominee.
- Victor Osimhen (Nigeria) - Galatasaray forward, scoring eight goals in qualifying.
This team showcases the talent that will be missed in the 2026 World Cup, leaving fans and experts alike to wonder what could have been.
