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The 2026 FIFA World Cup features a record 48 teams, but some of football’s biggest nations still failed to qualify.
Italy headlines the list after missing a third consecutive World Cup, while Denmark, Nigeria, Ukraine, and Poland also suffered heartbreaking qualification failures. Despite their strong FIFA rankings and talented squads, these football giants will be watching the tournament from home.
Related: The Teams That Shocked Everyone At The 2026 World Cup | Biggest Upsets So Far
In this video, we rank the five highest-ranked nations that failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and examine what went wrong during their qualifying campaigns.
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Which country’s absence surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments below!
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