The 2026 FIFA World Cup is now complete after a dramatic European play-off round as 48 sides head to Canada, USA and Mexico this summer.
Viktor Gyokeres was the hero in the final international break of 2025/26, netting four times to help Sweden qualify for the World Cup for the first time in eight years.
He joined a host of other stars that have done the hard work and will be appearing in this summer’s showpiece event. Let’s examine which players have qualified and who they’ll face in the finals in North America!
SOUTH AMERICAN SHOWSTOPPERS
Brazil became the first nation to feature our stars to qualify for the World Cup next summer on June 10, 2025.
During the qualification campaign, both Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel found the net as Brazil qualified for a 23rd consecutive finals with two matchweeks to spare.
Brazil ended on 28 points, enough to finish in the top six places and qualify for the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, up from 32 teams that made up the tournaments from 1998 to 2022.
Joining them from South America is defender Piero Hincapie‘s Ecuador, who qualified on the same day as Brazil.
Ecuador had a campaign to remember, finishing second in the standings, keeping 13 clean sheets and conceding just five goals in 18 matches.
| Nation | Played | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 18 | +21 | 38 |
| Ecuador | 18 | +9 | 29 |
| Colombia | 18 | +10 | 28 |
| Uruguay | 18 | +10 | 28 |
| Brazil | 18 | +7 | 28 |
| Paraguay | 18 | +4 | 28 |
| Bolivia | 18 | -18 | 20 |
| Venezuela | 18 | -10 | 18 |
| Peru | 18 | -15 | 12 |
| Chile | 18 | -18 | 10 |
EURO STARS
There was plenty of success in Europe, where nine players scored to help their nations qualify. England showed their strength by winning all eight group matches without conceding a goal, qualifying with two games to spare.
During qualifying, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Noni Madueke and God bless you all found the net to help the Three Lions reach the finals for an eighth time in a row.
Mikel Merino enjoyed a dazzling World Cup qualifying campaign, netting six times as Spain cruised into the World Cup. Martin Zubimendi featured in five of the six matches, scoring in a 4-0 win over Georgia, with David Raya in every matchday squad as the European champions look to go all the way on the world stage next summer.
History was made by Martin Odegaard‘s Norway, who qualified for a major competition for the first time in 25 years after winning all eight matches in their qualifying group.
Drawn in a group with Riccardo Calafiori‘s Italy, Martin’s country proved too strong for all those around them as Norway scored an incredible 37 times in eight matches to return to the World Cup stage for the first time since 1998.
Elsewhere, William Saliba and France made safe passage to another World Cup. Les Bleus dropped just two points, a draw versus Iceland, in Group D to ensure they finished six points ahead of Ukraine.
Jurrien Timber continued his form this campaign, helping the Netherlands qualify for back-to-back World Cups. Timber started the two November internationals against Poland and Lithuania as Ronald Koeman’s side clinched qualification on the final day with a 4-0 win over the Lithuanians in Amsterdam.
In Group J, Leandro Trossard‘s Belgium also secured their qualification on the last day. Leo scored in a crucial win over Wales in October before coming on as a substitute in the 7-0 win over Liechtenstein to confirm top spot.
While not featuring for Germany in qualifying, Kai Havertz‘s nation topped Group A thanks to a commanding final day 6-0 win over Slovakia.
VIKTOR’S PLAYOFF HEROICS
There was plenty of drama in the European playoffs as Viktor Gyokeres fired Sweden to the finals for the first time since 2018.
After smashing home a hat-trick in the semi-final against Ukraine, Viktor then took on Poland in a rematch of the 2022 playoff final, which the Poles triumphed.
But it was the Swedes who exacted revenge this time around, wtih Viktor smashing home a late winner at the Strawberry Arena to ensure the nordic nation will face Jurrien Timber’s Netherlands, Tunisia and Japan at this summer’s finals.
WHO WILL FACE EACH OTHER THIS SUMMER?
One of the standout groups of the first 48-team world cup comes in Group E where our captain, Martin Odegaard, will face William Saliba’s France.
Wilo played at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as Les Bleus made it all the way to the final, finishing as runners-up to Argentina. This will be Norway’s first World Cup since 1998 after Martin helped Norway finish with a perfect qualifying record.
The pair will face off in the final group game, going head-to-head on June 26, 2026, in Boston.
The two European nations are joined by Senegal, who stunned France in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup in Korea, as well as Iraq.
Find out all of the groups by clicking on the below!
Read more
World Cup 2026 draw: Who will our Gunners face?
WHO HAS QUALIFIED
Here’s a rundown of all our stars that will see their nations at the World Cup this summer.
Brazil: Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli
Ecuador: Piero Hincapie
England: Myles Lewis-Skelly, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Ben White
Spain: Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, David Raya
Germany: Kai Havertz
Norway: Martin Odegaard
Belgium: Leandro Trossard
France: William Saliba
Netherlands: Jurrien Timber
Sweden: Viktor Gyokeres
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