For many nations, international qualifiers are more than just football matches; they’re battles for identity and national pride. The grueling process can test the limits of teams and athletes and it can also produce incredible moments of skill, courage and emotion. The outcome of qualification often determines whether a nation will be on the map or sink into obscurity. For those lucky enough to achieve qualification, the experience can be life changing and a source of immense pride. But for others, qualification can be a crushing blow that ends in heartache and despair.
In Europe, qualifying is often the last chance for countries to play top-quality opposition before they become established on the world stage. The format, which involves teams being grouped into groups and playing each other home and away, has revolutionised the continent’s football. It has given smaller nations the kind of regular calendar they would previously have struggled to secure, allowing them to invest in coaches and youth setups. It has also allowed them to build competitive match experience against some of the best in the world.
This week sees the first round of group qualifying for the 2026 World Cup come to a close, with the race for places in the United States, Mexico and Canada reaching a crucial phase. Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have a chance to make their mark with the group runners-up entering an inter-confederation play-off. However, as the coronavirus crisis in South America continues to impact fixtures, analysts warn that it could be a case of too little too late for some of the region’s teams.
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