The qualification systems of the various world football confederations vary in terms of structure and challenges, but all serve one purpose – identifying the best teams to compete at the next FIFA World Cup. The qualifying tournaments, known as qualifiers, take place in the years leading up to a World Cup and involve teams playing each other twice on home and away dates to determine who makes it into the final tournament.
With the 2026 tournament in Qatar just a year away, international qualifiers are kicking into gear around the globe. While some countries are clear favorites to qualify for the finals, others are in a tight race to earn their spot.
In Europe, the qualification process soft-launched in March and will get underway in full force this September. The 54 European teams will be divided into 12 groups, six of which will have five nations and four that have four. The winners of each group will qualify automatically, with the runners-up entering an inter-confederation play-off alongside four Nations League teams.
The qualifiers feature every country that has a FIFA-recognised national association. That includes non-members like Gibraltar, Guam and New Caledonia. However, some federations opt out of the continental qualifiers for a variety of reasons, often linked to political instability or the fact that they haven’t got suitable stadiums. If that is the case, a play-off on neutral ground with extra time and penalties if needed can be played if FIFA deems it possible within the coordinated international match calendar.