Nigeria, Italy, and Denmark Among Top-Named Teams Missing 2026 World Cup'

Thirteen top-50 ranked nations will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including Italy, Nigeria, and Denmark.

Thirteen top-50 nations, including Italy, Nigeria, and Denmark, will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to a combination of factors including poor performance in qualifying matches and significant decline in national team rankings. The list includes countries from Europe, Africa, and Asia that failed to advance to the next round of qualifying or received low rankings. This marks the first time since 1998 that no top-50 nations will participate in the tournament. Several other top-ranked teams have also experienced similar setbacks in recent years.