International qualifiers are where the world’s best teams begin their journey towards the final tournament. The process sees national teams divided into groups and compete against each other in a series of matches over several months. The top teams and some of the best runners-up then advance to the World Cup finals tournament. The format varies depending on the number of participating nations and whether the tournament takes place in a home or away country.
The 2026 World Cup race is beginning to take shape with qualifying at the halfway stage. The first of four rounds ended on Thursday with a number of nations already booking their automatic places. Elsewhere, Erling Haaland scored his sixth hat-trick as Norway boosted their chances of reaching the play-offs with victory over Estonia.
In the other section of the draw, two countries from each confederation remain in contention for one of the last remaining berths. The 12 group winners will qualify directly for the finals while the best two runners-up will join the hosts and co-hosts in the inter-confederation playoffs.
The qualifiers often feature some of the game’s biggest stars. Midfielders like Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Frenkie de Jong are renowned for their passing range, vision and tactical awareness, and their performances in qualifying can make all the difference in tight matches. Their battles with rivals from across Europe provide compelling viewing and are a key part of the qualification process. The competition also features emerging powers who may not have the pedigree of the established European powerhouses, but are proving capable of winning big games against their rivals.