International qualifiers are the stage for a battle of national pride that can sometimes be as much about mental and physical strength as it is about football. They take place in a variety of conditions, from freezing winters in Europe to the sweltering heat of the Middle East. They often feature long distance travel and intense playing schedules, as well as a vast disparity in quality that can make for lopsided matches, but they also give smaller nations invaluable international experience.
Qualification tournaments are divided into groups or knock-out ties, with teams playing each other home and away. The winners of each group automatically qualify for the next World Cup, while runners-up enter a play-off round to determine the final two places. The process can be long and drawn-out, but it is an important way to develop footballing talent while giving fans worldwide the opportunity to see their favourite nations compete for a spot at soccer’s biggest stage.
The race for the final places in 2026 is wide open. Italy, under new coach Gennaro Gattuso, need to win both of their remaining games if they are to overhaul Norway and secure a first World Cup appearance since 2014. They begin their campaign at Nagyerdei Stadium in the Hungarian city of Debrecen on Friday.