Four teams will participate in the 2026 World Cup for the first time

On the morning of November 19, Curacao won a historic ticket to the 2026 World Cup after a 0-0 draw with Jamaica in the final round of Group H of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in the CONCACAF region. They became the smallest country with a population of only about 150,000 people, participating in the World Cup for the first time.

Last month, Cape Verde beat Eswatini 3-0 to overtake favourites Cameroon and secure their first World Cup berth. Having never qualified for a World Cup before, and even with a modest African Cup of Nations record, the tiny island nation off the coast of West Africa with a population of just 600,000 has made a name for itself.

As for Jordan , the runner-up of the 2023 Asian Cup, they are showing impressive form and a strong force. This is the first time Jordan has participated in the most prestigious tournament on the planet, marking a major turning point for a team that is rising to become a regional power.

Uzbekistan finally overcame the Asian qualifiers scare, despite their football being highly regarded. Uzbekistan has never qualified for the World Cup before as an independent nation. To prepare for the 2026 World Cup, the Uzbekistan Football Federation invited coach Fabio Cannavaro to lead the team.

The 2026 World Cup qualifiers also witnessed miracles and historical milestones. Defeating Nicaragua 2-0 in the CONCACAF region, Haiti convincingly won a ticket to the biggest festival on the planet. People poured into the streets to celebrate the achievement of returning to the World Cup after a 51-year wait.

Austria drew 1-1 with Bosnia in the final round of European qualifying on the morning of November 19, thereby securing a ticket to the World Cup taking place next summer. The last time the Central European country participated in the world's biggest football festival was in 1998. At that time, they stopped at the group stage, where there was the presence of Italy, Chile and Cameroon.

At the same time, Scotland defeated Denmark 4-2 and won a ticket to the 2026 World Cup. Many home team players burst into tears when they brought home their first World Cup ticket since 1998.

Norway secured a direct ticket to North and Central America after finishing above Italy in Group I of the European qualifying round. This is the first time in nearly three decades that fans of the Scandinavian country have enjoyed the atmosphere of the most popular football festival at the national level.

When FIFA expanded the World Cup to 48 teams, President Gianni Infantino said: "16 more teams means 16 more countries allowed to dream." Now that dream has come true, despite concerns about the quality of the game. But for many fans, the moment the tiny teams step onto the biggest stage on the planet is the beauty of the World Cup.

Source: https://znews.vn/bon-doi-lan-dau-du-world-cup-2026-post1604027.html