The race to the FIFA World Cup 2026 is heating up across the globe, with October shaping up as a decisive month for several footballing heavyweights and surprise contenders.
With Morocco and Tunisia already through from Africa, and Australia joining from Asia, a host of nations in CAF, UEFA, Concacaf, and beyond are now just one step away from booking their tickets to the expanded 48-team tournament.
CAF: African giants on the brink
Morocco made history as the first African team to seal qualification, with Tunisia soon following.
Now, October’s Matchday 9 could witness a flurry of other African teams joining them.
Algeria are within touching distance and will qualify outright with a victory over Somalia.
Even a draw could suffice if both Uganda and Mozambique fail to win, while outright defeats for both rivals would also push Algeria over the line.
Cabo Verde also has destiny within reach and will qualify if they beat Libya.
A draw could also be enough, provided Cameroon fail to defeat Mauritius.
Côte d’Ivoire’s path is more conditional—they must beat Seychelles and hope Gabon slip against The Gambia.
Egypt, which has looked dominant throughout, will qualify if it beats Djibouti while Burkina Faso falters against Sierra Leone.
Ghana’s road is trickier. The Black Stars must overcome the Central African Republic, while relying on Madagascar failing to defeat Comoros.
Elsewhere, Senegal will qualify if they dispatch South Sudan, and Congo DR fail to overcome Togo.
South Africa, too, has a golden opportunity; a win over Zimbabwe plus a Benin failure against Rwanda will be enough. Even a draw could suffice if Benin lose.
UEFA: European powers closing in
In Europe, several giants are on the verge of sealing their places. Croatia could punch their ticket on 12 October with wins over Czechia and Gibraltar, provided Czechia stumble against the Faroe Islands.
France, looking to bounce back strongly after Qatar 2022, will qualify on 13 October if it defeats Azerbaijan and Iceland, with the latter either drawing with or losing to Ukraine.
Slovakia, Switzerland, and England all have similar permutations, requiring victories alongside favourable results elsewhere. Notably, England can qualify on 14 October with a win over Latvia if Serbia fail to secure maximum points in their two matches against Albania and Andorra.
For Norway, the stakes are even higher. Long absent from the World Cup, Erling Haaland and his teammates could finally return to the global stage if they beat Israel and Italy falters in both their matches against Estonia and Israel.
Portugal and Spain are also well-placed to join the early qualifiers.
Portugal must beat the Republic of Ireland and Hungary, while hoping Armenia slips.
Spain needs victories over Georgia and Bulgaria, with Türkiye failing to win both of their fixtures.
Concacaf: Honduras and Jamaica eye October celebration
North America, Central America, and the Caribbean could also see their first qualifiers next month.
Honduras will seal qualification with wins over Costa Rica and Haiti, provided Nicaragua holds both opponents to draws.
Jamaica, meanwhile, will advance if they beat Curaçao and Bermuda, while Curaçao fail to defeat Trinidad and Tobago, and the Soca Warriors do not win both of their remaining games.
Asia: 6 nations in playoff hunt
With Australia already through, six other Asian nations—Indonesia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—remain in contention.
They will contest the fourth-round group stage, with only the group winners progressing directly.
The runners-up will face off in a fifth-round playoff, with the winner advancing to FIFA’s intercontinental Play-Off Tournament.
Oceania and South America: Play-off pathways
New Zealand booked their place from Oceania, but New Caledonia are not done yet.
Despite losing in the OFC final, they remain alive via the Play-Off Tournament.
In South America, CONMEBOL’s six automatic spots are already filled, but Bolivia will aim to keep their World Cup dream alive when it joins New Caledonia and four others in the intercontinental playoffs.
Countdown to October drama
With less than a year until the World Cup kicks off across the USA, Mexico, and Canada, October promises high drama and possible heartbreak.
As qualification scenarios unfold across continents, fans around the globe are preparing for what could be one of the most decisive international windows in recent history.
