Who is Not Participating in the 2026 World Cup?

A total of 145 nations have already been eliminated from the race for the 2026 World Cup.

As we approach the grand event scheduled for next summer, set to take place across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, 42 teams have secured their spots, while six more will be determined during the international break in March.

Four of the remaining slots will come from a European playoff tournament, and the other two through intercontinental playoffs.

Although new teams such as Uzbekistan and Cape Verde will make their debut appearances at the World Cup in 2026, the roster largely features renowned footballing nations from around the globe.

However, several prominent countries have failed to secure a place:

• From Europe, teams like Serbia, Greece, and Hungary will not be competing.
• China and India, among the most populous countries, will also miss the tournament.
• Nigeria, a regular fixture with seven World Cup appearances since the last hosted in the U.S. back in 1994, along with Cameroon, which has participated in six, will both be absent after failing to qualify through Africa’s playoffs.
• Trinidad and Tobago, who were part of England’s group in 2006, are on the list from North America and the Caribbean, joined by Costa Rica and Honduras, both of which also missed the cut.
• In South America, Venezuela, Peru, and Chile have been guaranteed to be left out, and nearly all of the 11 Oceania teams have also failed to qualify.

With 42 teams confirmed and 145 eliminated, this leaves 22 teams still in contention via European or intercontinental playoffs.

Full List of Countries Not Participating in the 2026 World Cup

Europe (Uefa)

Countries: Slovenia, Greece, Belarus, Georgia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Armenia, Cyprus, San Marino, Iceland, Azerbaijan, Finland, Malta, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Serbia, Latvia, Andorra, Faroe Islands, Montenegro, Gibraltar, Luxembourg, Israel, Moldova, Russia*

Asia (AFC)

Countries: Mongolia, Maldives, Guam, Sri Lanka*, Macau, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Brunei, Bhutan, Laos, India, Afghanistan, Syria, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Chinese Taipei, Turkmenistan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Philippines, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Nepal, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, North Korea, Oman, Palestine, Kuwait, Indonesia, China, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates

Africa (CAF)

Countries: Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan, Togo, Mauritania, South Sudan, Nigeria, Benin, Lesotho, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Libya, Angola, Mauritius, Eswatini, Niger, Tanzania, Zambia, Congo, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Kenya, Burundi, Seychelles, Uganda, Mozambique, Guinea, Botswana, Somalia, Namibia, Liberia, Malawi, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Madagascar, Mali, Comoros, Central African Republic

North and Central America (Concacaf)

Countries: Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Bahamas, Saint Lucia, Aruba, Barbados, Guyana, Montserrat, Belize, Dominican Republic, Dominica, British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Anguilla, Guatemala, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Bermuda, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras

South America (CONMEBOL)

Countries: Venezuela, Peru, Chile

Oceania (OFC)

Countries: Cook Islands, American Samoa, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tahiti, Fiji

*Countries marked denoted those that were suspended or served suspensions throughout all or a part of World Cup qualifying.

The Best Players Not Going to the 2026 World Cup

Out of 161 nations that entered the qualification phases, numerous high-profile athletes will also miss the tournament.

Historically, some of the sport’s biggest names, including George Best and George Weah, never managed to play in a World Cup due to their nations not qualifying.

A potential lineup of top players who will not be at the World Cup features a midfield maestro from the Premier League, a La Liga-winning goalkeeper, and two players that ranked within the top 20 of the 2025 Ballon d’Or.

The goalkeeper for a hypothetical all-star team is Jan Oblak of Atletico Madrid, Slovenia’s first-choice keeper with 82 caps and a substantial record in La Liga since joining in 2014.

Ola Aina from Nottingham Forest, instrumental in his club’s Europa League qualification, will represent Nigeria, despite their failure to qualify for the World Cup.

At center defense, Willi Orban from RB Leipzig, along with Milan Skriniar from Slovakia, currently at Fenerbahce, rounds out the back line.

Liverpool’s Milos Kerkez, transferred from Bournemouth this summer, joins Orban on defense as left-back.

Upfront, Bryan Mbuemo of Manchester United, the club’s leading scorer, is unable to represent Cameroon at the World Cup.

Central midfield is led by Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, due to their respective nations’ failures to qualify.

Winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, finishing 12th in the latest Ballon d’Or, along with another nominee Serhou Guirassy from Borussia Dortmund, who represents Guinea, are also set to miss out.

Completing the squad is Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, who scored eight goals in qualifying yet couldn’t secure Nigeria’s spot.

Starting 11

• Jan Oblak (Slovenia)
• Ola Aina (Nigeria)
• Willi Orban (Hungary)
• Milan Skriniar (Slovakia)
• Milos Kerkez (Hungary)
• Bryan Mbuemo (Cameroon)
• Dominik Szoboszlai (Hungary)
• Carlos Baleba (Cameroon)
• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia)
• Serhou Guirassy (Guinea)
• Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)

This summary is informed by the analysis from BBC Sport.