The 2026 FIFA World Cup has expanded to 48 teams for the first time, an uptick from the previous number of 32.
Qualifying was already a difficult process due to the limited spots across confederations. But despite the playing field increase, some notable nations and players still missed out.
One notable country that previously suffered from a smaller bracket was Norway. Led by stars Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard, the duo couldn’t make their mark on the world stage until now. Debutant sides like Curacao and Uzbekistan, among more, have also reaped the benefits of the new format.
But, as aforementioned, the joys of a berth wasn’t the case for everyone. Here are some of the biggest nations and players who won’t take the pitch in the upcoming global tournament:
Notable countries missing from 2026 World Cup
ITALY – FIFA RANKING: 12
A country with four World Cups to its name and a 2021 UEFA Euros win, Italy has again faced the stark reality of again missing out on the tournament. It marks the third straight time, as the Azzurri failed to qualify in 2018 and 2022, too. This time, it came down to a penalty shootout at Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are no doubt the biggest miss of this cycle, with star players in Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sandro Tonali, Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Nicolo Barella and many more set to once again watch from home.
DENMARK – FIFA RANKING: 20
Staying in Europe, another top 20-ranked team is Denmark. The Danish Dynamite did not have the offense to outlast Czechia in the March qualifying playoffs, eventually falling in a penalty shootout like Italy. Denmark was supposed to be a dark horse in 2022 but underwhelmed, so the signs have been brewing. The nation doesn’t boast world-class names, but players like Morten Hjulmand, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Christian Norgaard, Rasmus Hojlund and Mikkel Damsgaard, among others, will be disappointed.
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NIGERIA – FIFA RANKING: 26
African nations are on the rise in international football, but one of the top mainstays is falling behind. Nigeria is missing its second straight World Cup despite its stacked attacking depth. Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman are the household names, while Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze, Calvin Bassey and Raphael Onyedika, among others, are key in support. But the Super Eagles lack quality in defense and in goal, eventually losing in the CAF playoff final to DR Congo, which qualified through the inter-confederation playoffs.
UKRAINE – FIFA RANKING: 32
Ukraine has not qualified to the World Cup since 2006, where it advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to Italy. It has since developed multiple quality players across Europe’s top leagues: Anatolii Trubin, Georgiy Sudakov, Artem Dovbyk, Andriy Lunin, Illia Zabarnyi, Viktor Tsygankov and more. But the Blue and Yellow lost to Sweden in the UEFA qualifying playoffs after a hat trick from Viktor Gyokeres, evaporating their hopes of ending the drought.
POLAND – FIFA RANKING: 35
Speaking of Gyokeres, his 88th-minute goal helped Sweden beat Poland 3-2 in the final playoff qualifying game. The Eagles had made the Round of 16 in 2022, but they haven’t seen enough player development come through to maintain their level. It also ended the hopes of Robert Lewandowski competing in his final World Cup, so one of this generation’s most famed strikers won’t be involved. Other notable Polish names include Jakub Kiwior, Matty Cash and Piotr ZieliÅ„ski, but an attacking refresh is needed.
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Notable players missing from 2026 World Cup
KHVICHA KVARATSKHELIA – GEORGIA
After making it to the knockout stages of the 2024 Euros, Georgia didn’t have enough overall talent to push for a World Cup spot, so star winger Kvaratskhelia of Paris Saint-Germain will be out. One of the best technicians and finishers in his position, he’ll need to hope the nation can produce more talent to help for a 2030 berth. Goalie Giorgi Mamardashvili and striker Georges Mikautadze are the other notable Georgians.
DOMINIK SZOBOSZLAI – HUNGARY
Szoboszlai has made the rare transition from an attacking midfield prospect to a star right-back with Premier League giants Liverpool. But Hungary didn’t have enough to least make the qualifying playoffs, so Szoboszlai’s threaded passing and set-piece magic will not be at the tournament. Fellow Hungarian and Liverpool teammate Milos Kerkez will also be absent.
BRYAN MBEUMO – CAMEROON
Cameroon made the 2022 tournament and have many more promising talents coming through the ranks, but it did not do enough to qualify this year. The key absence will be Mbeumo, a right winger who has increased his stardom since the last World Cup berth. Now at Manchester United, he’s in his prime years but won’t be able to flaunt his growth on the big stage.
JAN OBLAK – SLOVENIA
Slovenia has not qualified for the World Cup since 2010. Some intriguing talents have developed, but not enough to create a stable core to consistently compete. Veteran goalie Oblak will be a vital omission due to his reputation with Spanish giants Atletico Madrid. He might still have a chance at 2030 when he’s 36, but he’ll need much more help by then. One such player is fellow Manchester United forward Benjamin Sesko, a 6-foot-5 speedster who could become the next big thing in his position.
ALEXIS SANCHEZ – CHILE
Like Lewandowski, history will be kind to Sanchez of Chile, too. After experiencing a golden generation of players in the 2010s, Chile has been going backwards for some time and evidently did not have enough for a 2026 berth. So it ended the last chance for the 37-year-old Sanchez, who will still retire as a legend for his country after playing key roles in winning the Copa America in 2015 and Copa America Centenario in 2016.
The second-place team will receive $33 million and the third and fourth place teams will earn $29M and $27M respectively.
