As I wrote before, the FIFA World Cup is on the process of becoming 100% a true festival, rather than a sports competition. From some regards, that is not necessary bad, but if you want still to scale the event in terms of competitiveness, that won’t be possible in a couple of editions. Actually this might happen even starting 2030, at the 100 year celebration, if the intention to allow 64 nations to participate will come to fruition. Because if this happens, for sure it can’t be undone afterwards, even though a potential intention to do so will be stated. In any case, shortly, in US, Canada and Mexico we will have 48 teams. A number unprecedent. Basically 16 more on top of the classic 32 captured by the rankings between 1998 to 2022, almost… 2023! A quantum leap, basically, which is about to double the number of teams in a span of less than eight years.
World Cup, double number of teams in less than eight years
I am putting 2023 and less than eight years here, because the 2022 edition, as we remember, finished, just before Christmas, essentially, a few days away from 2023. Given this, since the 2030 edition should be held also in summer, classic, that makes it less than eight years for a potential 64 teams mark, something that never happened in the span of history. I was just mentioning that for 24 years the World Cup had 32 teams, and even less before, of course. It is natural that times change, strategies are modified, but it still looks too much. Far away from intending to criticize this, in fact it is just my opinion that the main purpose is shifted entirely, if not at least heavily diluted, I am interested to make a brief walk in the past, and in the… future, in the intent to picture a landscape of all the participants, with each of their stories. A lot of nations took part. Only one, Brazil, participated to all editions, and it has also the most titles: five, the last one back in 2002.
Some dissolved, some merged, some under a new name
A lot of nations disintegrated on the way, famously USSR, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, making room for sensational newbies like Croatia. Some merged, like RFG with RDG, some changed names, like Zaire, some adhered to FIFA much later, and so on. The history has its wonderful stories, starting with Uruguay, Hungary, North Korea, El Salvador, Kuwait, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Togo, Iceland, and many other nations of which some don’t have a clue they even participated to this event, but the purpose is not to develop something that can be found at anybody’s discretion on the web, from many, many sources, but to analyze a bit what is the landscape of the FIFA World Cup about to come in 2026. We know not all the qualified team are yet known, but most of them are, and, for sure some names and stories raise a lot of eyebrows!
Mexico – South Africa. Same match, same day, different host, for the World Cup opener
My bet here is that Spain will become the champion, but at a World Cup that is the least important ingredient, when you look at the whole picture, and maybe exactly this is why the heavy tendency to transform the event into a festival, even a cultural one, than a really competitive sports event. One of the first very interesting topics I want to highlight is the opening game: Mexico – South Africa, on 11th of June 2026, on Estadio Azteca, of course. These two are two very proud and interesting nations, but of course the opening game, for those outside these countries doesn’t ring too much of a bell. Well, for me it really does. One key fact is that the draw took place exactly after we’ve returned from a dream vacation in Cape Town, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, so I have immersed quite deep in the beautiful South African culture. Of course, this is not the only reason.
Two weeks off to enjoy the World Cup start
If we go back 16 years, we remember clear that South Africa hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2010 – this is precisely why I got a Zakumi keyring from Doha airport when we returned from Cape Town! – but most important than this, the opening game back then was… South Africa – Mexico. On 11th of June! So then, exactly 16 years after we will have the same opening game at a World Cup, with same nations, but with the other as host. For me, this was additionally important because was the fourth World Cup I’ve watched, and this was the first as an “adult”. The 1998, 2002, and 2006 ones were followed from home, from my comfort of being a scholar. In 2010 I was a student, and had my first full time job, 100% night shifts, to follow my classes properly, as I was about to finish my bachelor degree. Being in the same year and roughly the same period, I took a bold decision, to take two weeks off, or so I remember, to be able and also watch the first half of the World Cup!
From Hislop to Tshabalala
For me it was most important to see the group games, because here the best stories are written, events that makes you believe that anything can happen. Like when Shaka Hislop of Trinidad & Tobago denied Ibrahimovic’s Sweden in a 0-0 at the 2006 World Cup. Or like the Senegal national team that beat title holders France, in the 2002 opener. Or like the might Türkiye which won third place in 2002, in their second World Cup only. Not to mention again Croatia, reaching three semifinals in 20 years. Stories of lust, pain, and happiness. Getting back to my approach, I specifically wanted to see the South Africa – Mexico in 2010, and after a night shift, took a bus to my home town, 300 kilometers away from Bucharest, and with my eyes almost closing, I’ve managed to enjoy Tshabalala’s beautiful first goal, the South African dance, and the tons of vuvuzelas, which heavily became mostly famous from that moment, in the stands.
Enjoying South African experience live in Cape Town
For me it is very interesting that South Africa, even at the other side of the Globe, is exactly the same time zone as Romania, an advantage I’ve experience in our adventure from November 2025, in Cape Town. But back then, things looked different. Being in the other hemisphere, in June-July, in South Africa is winter. Maybe not the kind of winter we are accustomed with in Europe, but pretty much the same in many regions, but in any case much colder temperatures than those participating to these kind of tournaments are accustomed. All the ingredients made this encounter special, and powerful for my memory, so you see I write of it enchanted 16 years later! Of course, both nations, after the opener, went easy in anonymity, because their performance on the field, after the initial 1-1 draw didn’t advantage either side on the long run.
Morocco did what Ghana couldn’t
At that edition, in the end, the spotlight covered Spain mainly, as the first title one by the European nation – maybe also this is why I feel Spain can become champions again, in a final against England – but also some other nations: like resurrected Uruguay, a tiny football dependent country with two World Cup titles in 1930 and 1950! But also like their “victims” from the quarter finals, Ghana, which missed at a whisker to become the first African nation in a World Cup semifinal. This achievement came 12 years later, when Morocco tormented France for a place in the final against the “undisputed” future mandatory champion, Argentina. Keeping Africa’s momentum in my text – oh, what a wonderful continent this is! – I will shift my attention to the fact that nine countries from this continent already qualified, and there can be a tenth!
Angola and Togo, in 2006, Cape Verde in 2026 at the World Cup
From all, though, there is no debut, like it happened, for example, in 2006, when four out of five (!!!) African nations where for the first time at a World Cup. If Ivory Coast and Ghana were nations with a legit right to claim a spot in these tournaments, only thinking at players such as Didier Drogba or Michael Essien, the biggest blows came from Angola and Togo. Nations which probably won’t be able to qualify at a World Cup very easy, even with 64 or more (???) nations participating. But they did it back then, and they left an interesting impression. Not too string, but neither as fade as many were expecting. This time there is only one newbie: Cape Verde. The first islander nation from Africa to ever qualify at a World Cup, and well deserved! Having islandic nations qualify at a World Cup, if we don’t take into account Australia, or New Zealand, is pretty seldom. Of course, excepting the Caribbeans.
Curacao, watch out for Germany
We had Cuba, Jamaica or Trinidad Tobago, as I have already mentioned. And now, we will have, for sure, Curacao! A country that isn’t actually a true country, but a territory governed by The Netherlands. A territory participating in the CONCACAF qualification, and I am mentioning this because no earlier than least year, all federations from here denied the will of Greenland to adhere as a team. Now being a very popular topic, this looks to me worth mentioning. So no Greenland, but a lot of other external governed territories, and one of them, Curacao – which, for many, is the name of a colorful drink – actually made it to the World Cup! The interesting and hopefully not cruel reality is that Curacao’s debut at the World Cup will happen against one of the worst potential opponents: Germany!
Can’t erase from mind the Germany – Saudi Arabia 8-0 game from 2002
I can’t stop thinking of Germany’s first match at FIFA World Cup 2002, when they ended up losing the final. A match won 8-0 against Saudi Arabia. Same nation which beat Argentina in their first match at World Cup 2022, 2-1, only match lost by the future champion. Will Curacao experience a similar fate? Luckily, Germany doesn’t look as fearless as back then, but you may never know… And you can’t ever deny that, in a perfect day, Germany can essentially trash any nation. The most famous proof came in 2014, in the FIFA World Cup semifinal. Now, I was living my ephemeral dream to work as a sports journalist, and was preparing in the redaction of Fanatik to watch the Brazil – Germany semifinal with my colleagues. It was announced as a football feast, a chance for Brazil to get one step closer to winning the first World Cup on home soil, after the great upset from 1950, when Uruguay beat absolutely unexpected Brazil 2-1 at Maracana and claimed their second title.
Six minutes for four goals, in a World Cup semifinal
At that moment, Brazil had zero titles. After a “treble” with Pele as motor, between 1958 and 1970, two more came in 1994 and 2002, already mentioned, so a sixth, at home, was looking very desirable. Again, Maracana. Germany, a great adversary. For those who had an eye, saw that Brazil was not in a shape to naturally claim a World title. Still, here they are in the semis. Germany opened quite quickly the score, in 11th minute, but the real drama consumed in only six minutes. Between 23rd and 29th minute. Watching the match, I was literally under the impression I am looking at goal replays. There were some, of course, but not as many I thought I am watching. There was no time. Germany scored four goals, and at the end of half an hour, the score line was showing: Brazil – Germany 0-5. It wasn’t an exhibition, it was a World Cup semifinal, again, in Maracana. Neither me nor my colleagues couldn’t believe our eyes of what was happening.
The big suffering of Brazil from 2014
Hope was lost. In the stands many, actually most, were in heavy tears. The Brazilian footballers couldn’t believe what was happening. Everything went blurry. Those minutes were not replicated, but the disaster continued in the second half. Schuerrle, the lad who quit football, at only 29 raised the toll at 0-7. It was something I never imagined possible, but from that point on, I’ve always started to ask myself why don’t we have this more often? This is what people want: goals! It was a turning point for me. Oscar made a consolation goal in the 89th minute, and thanks to the Germans shame to press any further, maybe out of a slight respect for the spectators, the game ended in 1-7, even the sensation was that it can be much higher, if needed. It wasn’t, but this is a very serious reminder for what can happen in a match at a World Cup, especially a much vulnerable opponent, such as Curacao.
Rihairo Meulens played at Rapid, when nobody imagined Curacao will make
Getting back to the Dutch-governed territory, I have also a memory very close to the Germany’s World Cup 2014 winning performance. Back then, not only that nobody was thinking of Curacao as a potential World Cup qualified team, but neither did I was very aware that that island has actually a national team competing internationally. I’ve learned a bit more about this, thanks to a player: Rihairo Meulens. Back then, in early 2015, Rapid Bucharest was seeking players to avoid relegation, and Rihairo was a key target, playing at Dordrecht, Netherlands’s Eredivisie bottom at the table. Because the guys who negotiated with him didn’t know too much of English, I was, at some point, in contact with the guy, to try and convince him to come to Rapid. I don’t know how big my part was, I believe very slim, if any, but Rihairo signed.
Curacao topped Iceland as the smallest nation in the history of the World Cup
Truth being told, that was the moment when I truly acknowledged this island. He signed with Rapid, played a few months, and even scored two goals. He wasn’t a high performer, and neither he continued, as Rapid relegated. But he was a decent signing, contributed to two victories, and didn’t play in the last three matches of the season, where… who knows if he could make any difference? At that moment he was living its best time for the national team. Times that ended in 2015, even though he was only 27. 10 years from that moment, Rihairo Muelens is long gone in the history books, but his national side is writing history by qualifying at the World Cup. Not only as a non-independent territory, but as the smallest territory to ever appear in a football World Cup. A record held from 2018 by Iceland, which looked very unlikely to be broken. But with 150K inhabitants, this tiny island “outperformed”.
Cape Verde is not far behind, but can it qualify from the group stage?
Speaking about islands and miniature records, Cape Verde is not to be neglected, especially thanks to their faith of debuting at a World Cup in a group against Spain and Uruguay. No easy task for the Portuguese speaking nations, from which Cristiano Ronaldo has grandfathered roots, as you might know. At a population lower than 500K people, Cape Verde is smaller than Mauritius, for example, but still not small enough for significant records. Maybe they can end up at the other side of the continuum, by advancing outside the groups, thing that Iceland was not capable of in 2018 – even they had a great EURO 2016, with quarter finals presence, after putting out England, and failing 2-5 to hosts France – and neither will, probably be Curacao. These two are not the only two small islandic nations present at the World Cup in 2026, though. Another name appears in the records, and their presence creates, again, mixed memories, both from my end, but also from the FIFA World Cup collective conscience.
Haiti is not an island per say, but it has a World Cup history
As some of you might know, Haiti is a wracked nation at this moment, struck by civil clashes, instability, and poverty. Probably one of the most unsafe and disease stricken places on the earth. Still, they made it thru and will participate at the World Cup. Of course, I am not stupid, I am aware that Haiti, by itself, unlike most of the Caribbean nations, is not an island. I know it splits the territory of Hispaniola Island with Dominican Republic, but, in the end, the people here are more close to island life, than to a mainland life. The thing is that Haiti is not a new comer to a World Cup. It might seem bizarre, but this nation had a previous participation: after the one in Germany, in 1974! If now, a participation is much more facilitated by the 48 mark of teams allowed – truth being told, Haiti could never make it in a narrower format – the thing is that in 1974 there were only 16 participating nations at a World Cup. Yes, Haiti was one of them.
Better than the World Cup runner up for six minutes
Many don’t remember that, maybe never heard even. Of course there are a lot of records, but it is quite difficult, in the abundance of information, to be stuck exactly in the fact that Haiti actually made it to a World Cup in 1974, especially since they lost all three matches, and didn’t count in any meaningful way. Still, before the 0-7 upset from the second match with Poland, they did have their moment of glory, when they opened the score against Italy in the first game, but ended up losing 3-1, of course. Still, for six minutes, from 46 to 52 they were basically leading the World Cup finalist from 1970. A short but endless moment of glory, especially for Emmanuel Sanon, the scorer of both goals at the World Cup for Haiti. He sadly passed away of cancer at only 56 years of age, in 2008, but his memory will stand for this tiny and tormented nation for a long time.
The group which brings back memories
Now, I didn’t see Sanon playing, obviously, but I remember when collecting my first UEFA Champions League sticker album, in 1999-2000, the player from AS Monaco: Wagneau Eloi. I remember clearly he was born in the state’s capital, Port-au-Prince, even though his life story brought him to Paris at nine years, and actually he never played for Haiti, only coached the national side for two years, 2008-2009. I don’t know anything about the current squad, and I am not intending to research anything for the purpose of copy-pasting some words. What I do know is that group C, the one in which Haiti is part of, reminds me about… Norway! How come, right? It is simple! The composition of the group: Brazil – Morocco – Haiti – Scotland, is very similar to group A from France 1998, when, instead of Haiti, the same other three nations played against Norway, a team that topped the group!
Norway, my favorite at the World Cup
That, in 1998, was the first World Cup with 32 teams, and the first ever watched by me. Truth being told, Haiti doesn’t stand a chance here, but I hope Norway does, in its group! After 28 years, the Norwegians are back at a World Cup, and they will be, for sure, my favorite nation to support, as there is no secret, checking out my blog, that I am in love with this country! The Nordics have a strong team, and I, subjectively see it (or hope to see it!) in the semifinals, at least. Having the opposition of France and Senegal doesn’t look easy, but it should be, at the same time, very thrilling. The other contender, at this moment, is unknown. And since we touched this subject, which I would like to develop more in April, after the play-offs will have been played, and the last teams qualified decided, I would like to end this article, immersed thru the World Cup history, but mostly thru my own memories and emotions, by highlighting another interesting thing!
Will DR Congo join Haiti at the World Cup, to “remake” 1974?
In 1974, not only that Haiti took a slot of the available 16, another nation that can qualify now again, after the first time from 1974 (!) was an exotic presence then, and would still be today: Zaire! Of course, the name now is Democratic Republic of Congo, and despite being one of the biggest countries in Africa, the odds of them making it in front of much powerful Nigeria or Cameroun seemed unlikely, and yet here they are, one game away from becoming the 10th (!!!) African nation at this World Cup 2026. To make it, they need to only beat the winner between New Caledonia and Jamaica, likely the last. Regardless of the result, and of the qualified team, what a great story will there be! I can’t hardly wait to resume my thoughts as soon as all 48 teams are known. What I do know for a fact is that DR Congo, if it will make it again, for sure they won’t lose 0-9, like it happened in 1974. 2026 is a special year, regardless of how you look at the World Cup!
Cover photo: pixabay.com