Emotions ran high on a night of historic wins and last-gasp goals as the last eight of the 43 automatic qualification spots for the FIFA World Cup 2026 were sealed across Europe (UEFA), Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF).With less than seven months to go until the expanded 48-team tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, European heavyweights Spain and the tiny Caribbean nation Curacao were among those to book a spot amid tears of joy and wild celebrations late on Tuesday.Curacao became the smallest country ever – with a population of just 156,000 – to qualify for the World Cup on November 18 as Haiti booked their return to the tournament for the first time in 52 years, along with Panama.It was also a week of heartbreak and shock for some of the biggest names in football, including former European champions Greece and African powerhouse Nigeria, as they were knocked out of contention for the most popular sports tournament in the world.Meanwhile, four-time world champions Italy find themselves in the European playoffs along with 15 other teams in a fight for four slots, and four-time Arab champions Iraq booked a place in the intercontinental playoffs.Here’s what you need to know about the qualified teams …
