The 2026 World Cup: Overwhelming Excitement in the Qualifiers
The closing of the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has given us unforgettable moments. National teams faced the crossroads of securing their place in the final phase, keeping hopes alive through the playoffs, or seeing their dreams fade away.
The fight for a spot in the tournament to be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States was full of surprises. There were debutants in the final phase, agonizing goals, and the fall of big names.
Despite the fact that the international calendar can sometimes be tedious, this week showed us that football, in its maximum expression, is capable of uniting entire nations in a whirlwind of joy and sadness.
Here’s a summary of the most important stories from a week full of unexpected twists in the World Cup qualifiers.
Haiti: A Dream Come True
Haiti, ranked 88th in the FIFA ranking, defied the forecasts and achieved its second qualification to a World Cup, the first in 50 years, after defeating Nicaragua 2-0.
With goals from Louicius Deedson and Ruben Providence, Haiti secured their victory, while Honduras tied 0-0 against Costa Rica.
This classification marks Haiti’s return to a World Cup since West Germany 1974. An even more remarkable achievement considering that the team has had to play on neutral ground, about 800 kilometers away, on the island of Curaçao, due to the conflict situation in the Caribbean country.
Despite being appointed coach 18 months ago, Sebastien Migne has yet to set foot on Haitian soil. However, he will lead his team in the final phase, hoping to improve their performance, after their last participation half a century ago.
Curaçao: The Little Giant
Curaçao celebrated with Haiti the qualification for the 2026 World Cup, after drawing 0-0 against Jamaica.
In an exciting Concacaf qualifiers closing, Curaçao resisted a penalty in added time and obtained the necessary point to surpass Jamaica in Group B. With this, Curaçao, Haiti, and Panama qualified, while Jamaica and Suriname advanced to the intercontinental playoffs.
Led by Dutch veteran Dick Advocaat, this small island nation (approximately 270 square kilometers) becomes the smallest country to qualify for the tournament. Its population, around 156,000 inhabitants, is less than half that of Iceland (350,000), the previous record holder.
Advocaat was unable to be present at the match against Jamaica due to a family matter, but if he remains in charge of Curaçao in the final phase, at 78 years old, he would become the oldest coach to manage a team in a World Cup, surpassing Otto Rehhagel’s record.
Scotland: A Night for History
Scott McTominay and his teammates put on an amazing performance by defeating Denmark 4-2, securing their place in the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998.
McTominay opened the scoring with a spectacular overhead kick, but the goal of the night went to Kenny McLean, who scored the second of Scotland’s two goals in added time from the halfway line.
Hampden Park erupted with joy after the victory, which ended 30 years of disappointments.
Republic of Ireland: The Parrott Renaissance
The Republic of Ireland seemed to be missing out on the World Cup, but striker Troy Parrott changed the course with five goals in two matches, achieving crucial victories against Portugal and Hungary, and securing their place in the playoffs.
Parrott scored two goals in the 2-0 victory over Portugal in Dublin. Then, he scored a hat-trick in the 3-2 victory over Hungary, with a goal in the 96th minute.
Ireland will face Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia or Wales in their first playoff match, before playing another match against the winner of another tie. If they manage to overcome the playoffs, they will play their first World Cup since 1994.
DR Congo: Celebration in Tension
DR Congo celebrated their qualification after defeating Nigeria in a tense penalty shootout in the CAF playoffs final.
After drawing 1-1 in extra time, goalkeeper Timothy Fayulu saved a penalty, paving the way for Chancel Mbemba to score and send DR Congo to the intercontinental playoffs. If they advance, they will play their first World Cup since 1974.
The team celebrated with their fans in Rabat, Morocco, and thousands of supporters welcomed them at the Martyrs of Kinshasa Stadium.
