The March international break is the final stoppage of the 2025/26 season as we close in on the summer World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the USA.
Our players have helped nine nations qualify already for this summer’s showpiece event, but there’s a chance for three more to make it via the European playoffs.
As well as the final World Cup qualifiers, there’s also a chance of a first senior appearance for one of our squad, as well as a first national team appearance since 2022 for another.
So let’s examine what you need to look out for while we take a pause from domestic football.
AZZURRI AIMING FOR THIRD TIME LUCKY
After finishing second in their World Cup qualifying group, Riccardo Calafiori’s Italy are forced into the playoffs for a third successive time.
The four-time winners of the World Cup have suffered heartbreak in this route in each of the last two qualifying campaigns, losing to Sweden and North Macedonia.
Calafiori’s Italy came second to Martin Odegaard’s Norway in qualifying, and as a result, will now take on Northern Ireland in the play-off semi-final in Bergamo.
Should they triumph, a clash against Wales in Cardiff or Bosnia and Herzegovina in Zenica will decide who reaches the finals this June. If Italy do reach the finals, they will match up with co-hosts Canada, the 2022 hosts Qatar and Switzerland, who topped Group B in qualifying.
Cala goes into these fixtures with 12 Italian caps, he is yet to find the net for his nation.
VIKTOR LEADING SWEDEN
Viktor Gyokeres’ Sweden secured passage to the European playoffs thanks to their excellent performances in the UEFA Nations League, rather than their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Viktor’s nine goals in the 24/25 Nations League spearheaded Sweden to promotion as well as a place in the World Cup playoffs, where they have drawn Ukraine in the semi-finals.
The match will take place in Valencia and should Sweden progress, they will host the winner of Poland or Albania in Solna for a chance to return to the World Cup after missing the finals in 2022.
Viktor’s current record for Sweden is impressive, netting 15 times in just 30 caps and with fellow striker Alexander Isak missing the playoffs, the forward will be the go-to man to try and fire the nation back to the big time.
Should Sweden go all the way, they’ll slot into Group F along with the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia.
MORE DANISH DELIGHT FOR NORGAARD?
It was late heartbreak for Denmark in their final qualifier last November. A winner-takes-all clash against Scotland in Glasgow saw the Scots triumph 4-2, with ex-Gunner Kieran Tierney netting late on to send his nation to the finals for the first time since 1998.
As a result, the Danes must go through the playoffs to reach a third straight World Cup finals. Christian’s Denmark will host North Macedonia in Copenhagen in the semi-finals.
A victory would move Denmark into the final where they’d face Czechia in Prague or Ireland in Dublin. The Danes are no strangers to Ireland at this stage, having defeated Ireland 5-1 in the playoffs to reach the World Cup in 2018.
Denmark’s reward, should they make it, will be to slot into Group A alongside co-hosts Mexico, 2010 hosts South Africa and 2002 co-hosts, South Korea.
MOSQUERA’S MOMENT
While Christian Norgaard has 39 international caps to his name, Cristhian Mosquera could be receiving his first for the Spanish senior national team.
Mosquera’s impressive debut season in N5 has seen him receive a first call-up to Luis de la Fuente’s side, joining David Raya and Martin Zubimendi in the squad. Cristhian has made 39 appearances from under-15s all the way up to under-21s, as well as being part of the Spain under-23 side that won gold at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Spain have two internationals coming up this break against Serbia and Egypt as they shape their World Cup squad, giving Cristhian two opportunities to make his debut for La Roja.
Read more
Mosquera’s first impressions of life in London
COMEBACKS
It’s new beginnings for Cristhian but a return for two of our stars as Kai Havertz and Ben White were called up to Germany and England respectively.
Kai suffered two injuries in 2025 which kept him out of all internationals for Germany, but after making his return for us in 2026, he’s now back in the squad.
His last appearance for Germany came back in November 2024 in a 1-1 draw against Hungary. In the match before that, he scored and provided two assists in a 7-0 win over Bosnia. Germany are playing Switzerland and Ghana this month as Kai will be hoping to add to his 22 international goals so far.
Also returning to the national team set up is Ben White. Our full-back replaced Ebere Eze in Thomas Tuchel’s side for a first call-up since 2022. Ben has made four appearances for the Three Lions and was part of the England set up for Euro 2020.
He’ll be joining Noni Madueke, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka as Tuchel’s side face Uruguay and Japan in their final matches before the summer.
Copyright 2026 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
