International qualifiers are a hotbed of intense competition and excitement. The results can impact not only the participating teams but entire nations. The process can build national pride, unify communities and encourage heightened engagement from fans around the world. If handled correctly, qualification can bring immense rewards that can benefit a country’s economy and improve the quality of life for its people.
The grueling qualifying tournaments are the lifeblood of football and provide some of the most intense, close competition in the game. They also provide a great opportunity for struggling countries to face genuine challenges and test their mettle against top-quality opponents, which can help them improve their overall standing and eventually qualify for the World Cup.
This year’s qualifying for the 2026 World Cup has kicked off, with groups containing some of Europe’s biggest names. The top two teams from each group will book their place at the tournament, with the highest ranked runners-up progressing to the intercontinental play-offs. New Zealand have been the first benefactors of this system, and are now guaranteed a spot in next summer’s finals.
The other teams will play each other in a brutal pre-eliminary round, where everyone plays each other once and the team with the best record progresses. The 6 best runners-up then form 2 groups of 5 teams where each team faces everyone else once. The 8 1st placed teams then join the other two top-ranked teams from the other 3 groups to create a further 2 tables of 5 teams, where each team also faces each other once (this is completely ridiculous). The 2 teams that rank 3rd and 4th then play each other in another pair of 2-legged ties.