World Cup 2026 Dreams Already Over: Which Teams Are Out?

As the football world looks ahead to the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, the qualification marathon is already in full swing. While the tournament is still years away, the dream has already ended for a handful of nations. Which teams have bitten the dust? Let's break down the early casualties.

The early eliminations

The qualification process differs across confederations. In Asia (AFC), the first round in October 2023 saw 20 of the lowest-ranked teams paired into 10 two-legged ties. The losers – nations like Bhutan, Macau, and Timor-Leste – were immediately eliminated. Similarly, in Africa (CAF), a preliminary round in November 2023 involved 12 lowly ranked teams; six of them, including Somalia and Eritrea, saw their hopes extinguished. In Oceania (OFC), a first round of four teams in late 2023 eliminated two, such as Tonga and Cook Islands. These early rounds serve as a brutal cull before the main qualifying groups begin.

No big fish yet

Crucially, no major footballing nation has been eliminated. The likes of Brazil, Germany, and Argentina haven't even started their qualifying campaigns yet. CONMEBOL's qualification doesn't begin until September 2023 (already started for some? Actually it started in September 2023, but no elimination yet because it's a league format). In UEFA, qualifying starts in March 2025; CONCACAF's process also has a long way to go. So for now, the eliminated teams are strictly those from the lowest tiers of the global game. That doesn't mean their early exits are insignificant – for these small nations, just participating in a World Cup qualifier is a huge achievement, and the experience builds for future cycles.

What it means

The expanded 48-team format means more spots for smaller nations, but it also means more competition in early rounds. For the eliminated teams, it's back to the drawing board with a focus on development and friendlies. For fans, it's a reminder that the road to the World Cup is long and unforgiving – even before the big names enter, dozens of hopefuls have already been sent home. As we look ahead to the next phases in Asia and Africa later in 2024, the list of fallen nations will only grow. The early casualties set the stage for a qualification journey that will stretch over three years, and already, the pressure is on. Who will survive the next cut?