— March 17, 2025 — The 2026 FIFA World Cup go fully international as e dey come back to North America, and many small football nations don dey look for chance to make history wey go change their fate.
With FIFA expanding the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, many countries wey never fit qualify for di tournament dey prepare for their moment of glory. Dis expansion dey give teams like Uzbekistan, Iraq, Rwanda, and Comoros opportunity to finally shine for di global stage.
As di hosts, United States, Canada, and Mexico don secure their spots by default, di remaining countries don dey battle for di remaining slots with plenty excitement and tension in di air. Di Asian Football Confederation (AFC) get eight direct spots and one slot for intercontinental playoffs, and di race dey hot as teams dey compete for qualification.
Uzbekistan, wey be one of di top performers, dey on di verge of making history as dem sit second behind Iran for Group A. Di coach, Timur Kapadze, who don play for di national team, dey lead di team with star players like Abdukodir Khusanov and Eldor Shomurodov, who dey play for Manchester City and Roma respectably. If dem fit maintain dis momentum, dis go be di first time dem go enter World Cup.
Iraq, wey don only appear in di 1986 World Cup, dey second for Group B, chasing di dream with young talents like Zidane Iqbal of di Eredivisie. Di competition hot as dem dey fight Jordan and Oman for di remaining spots.
In di Africa zone, plenty surprises dey show. Sudan dey lead Group B, unbeaten, while Nigeria, a regular contender, don dey struggle. Rwanda and Benin, both of whom never qualify, dey share di same group with South Africa, and dem dey eye di chance to upset di balance.
Meanwhile, Comoros don shock di world as dem beat Ghana 1-0, and dem don dey lead Group I. Di coach, Stefano Cusin, dey inspire di team mostly made up of players from France and Europe.
For di CONCACAF region, things dey quiet due to di automatic slots wey di hosts don secure, but teams like Curaçao and Haiti dey eager to make their mark. Di South American teams like Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia dey steady as dem dey fight for di guaranteed spots.
New Zealand, who dey dominate di Oceania section, dey look to secure their place by winning against Fiji. Dis go mark dia third World Cup appearance, and di excitement dey build as di games dey approach.
As qualifying go on, fans dey watch as many teams dey dream of making history for di first time or retuning after long absence. Di atmosphere dey charged with hope and anticipation as dem dey position themselves for na di biggest football show for di world.
Di World Cup itself go start from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across various cities in di United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking di first time dis tournament dey happen across three countries. We go see di new faces wey go dey grace di stage and di dreams wey go materialize in a matter of time.
