World Cup 2026: New Nations Set to Make Their Debut

With a record 48 national teams participating, several countries will experience their first World Cup next summer.

While Brazil has participated in all 22 tournaments, 132 of the 211 FIFA member associations have yet to compete. BBC Sport examines some of the nations that will make their World Cup debut in 2026.

Cape Verde

Cape Verde, an archipelago off the west coast of Africa with a population of around 600,000, became the second smallest country to qualify for a World Cup finals, following Iceland in 2018. This record was briefly held until Curacao qualified shortly thereafter.

The team secured their spot in the tournament by defeating Eswatini, marking a remarkable rise in football over the last 40 years. Cape Verde began their World Cup qualifying journey in 1990, and their success has been bolstered by their efforts to recruit players with ties to the nation from around the globe.

Currently, the squad includes six players born in the Netherlands and one from Ireland: Shamrock Rovers defender Roberto Lopes. The 33-year-old, born in Dublin, qualifies for Cape Verde through his father and was invited to join the national team via LinkedIn.

Curacao

The Caribbean island of Curacao will become the smallest nation ever to compete in a World Cup after securing their place by drawing with Jamaica, managed by Steve McClaren.

Previously, Iceland held the record for the smallest nation to qualify, but Curacao, with a population of just over 150,000 and an area of 171 square miles, is smaller than the Isle of Man.

McClaren resigned as Jamaica's head coach following the draw, which denied his team a chance to qualify for their first World Cup since 1998, despite a late penalty being overturned by VAR.

Curacao's coach, Dick Advocaat, who was absent from the match for personal reasons, will become the oldest coach in World Cup history at age 78, surpassing Otto Rehhagel's previous record with Greece in 2010.

Curacao became a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010, following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles. Ten years ago, they were ranked 150th in FIFA's world rankings; they are now positioned at 82nd.

Jordan

After a long journey, Jordan has finally qualified for a World Cup. The Arab nation began its qualifying efforts 40 years ago but has only now reached this milestone.

Jordan clinched their spot at next year's tournament by finishing as runners-up in AFC qualifying Group B, behind South Korea. In 2016, former Tottenham and Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp took charge of Jordan for two World Cup qualifying matches for the 2018 tournament, overseeing an 8-0 victory over Bangladesh and a 5-1 defeat to Australia.

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan has also qualified for the World Cup for the first time, having come close on several occasions, notably for the 2006 and 2014 tournaments. Their squad features talented players, including Abdukodir Khusanov, a Manchester City defender who is the first Uzbek player to compete in the Premier League.

Who Else Could Join Them?

Suriname came close to securing their first World Cup appearance, leading their qualifying group for much of the campaign. However, a defeat to Guatemala in the final round allowed Panama to overtake them for automatic qualification. Suriname will have another chance to qualify through the inter-confederations play-off in March, where they could become the lowest-ranked team ever to qualify, currently standing at 123rd in the world rankings.

This small South American nation has a population of just over 600,000, similar to that of Leeds. Also competing in the inter-confederations play-off will be New Caledonia , a French territory comprising numerous islands in the South Pacific, with a population of just under 300,000. Their squad consists of part-time players from New Caledonia's 10-team Super Ligue and some who play at lower levels in French football.

World Cup 2026: New Nations Set to Make Their Debut

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