Expanded World Cup Gives Minnows the Chance to Shine

There’s still plenty of time before the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada commences, but anticipation for the tournament is already palpable.

One of the most eye-catching developments surrounding the World Cup is the new format, with FIFA increasing the number of participating teams from 32 to 48.

FIFA’s decision paves the way for more nations to showcase their talents on the global stage, handing obscure countries an increased chance of claiming a spot at the tournament.

Some of the established nations might groan at the prospect of playing more games, but the revised format benefits smaller nations, who are keen to prove their mettle against the heavyweights.

Read on as we analyse which nations could benefit from the extended format in 2026.

Host Nations Eager to Impress

The trio of host nations will undoubtedly welcome the expanded format, considering they are guaranteed a spot at the showpiece event.

They will play a series of friendlies in preparation for the 2026 showpiece, allowing them to prepare for the tournament without the added pressure of the qualifying stage.

The US will be eager to redeem themselves after a disappointing Copa America campaign. They were knocked out in the group stage and will want to make amends at the World Cup.

Mexico will also be looking to bounce back from a lacklustre Copa America performance. They bowed out of the competition after managing just one win in the group stage.

After winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July last year, much was expected from Jamie Lozano’s side at the Copa America, but the disappointing group stage exit cost him his job.

The appointment of Javier Aguirre has ushered in a new era for Mexican football, and the World Cup presents an ideal platform for the team to prove their mettle on the global stage.

Canada advanced to the knockout stage of the Copa America, and they’ll be keen to build on their progress. Despite a semi-final defeat to eventual champions Argentina, the Canucks demonstrated their growing stature in international football.

With the weight of qualification off their shoulders, Canada can focus on maximising their home advantage and making a deep run in the World Cup.

All three nations will feel like they have a point to prove and will be determined to put on a good show on home turf.

New Zealand Aiming for Third World Cup Appearance

For the first time ever, a nation from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) will be guaranteed a ticket to the World Cup.

The OFC qualifying campaign will kick off in September, and New Zealand are one of the bookmakers’ favourites to represent Oceania at the 2026 World Cup.

Most of the sportsbooks listed at Bettingtop10.co.nz rate them as 1001.00 shots to win the World Cup, which emphasises the insurmountable task they face in competing against international footballing powerhouses.

While winning the tournament is out of the question, Darren Bazeley’s side will be hoping to defy the odds and qualify for the knockout stage for the first time.

New Zealand have only featured twice at the World Cup, in 1982 and 2010, but the expanded format hands them a golden opportunity to return to the global showpiece.

Qualifying for the tournament would be a major achievement in itself, but a favourable draw would fuel their hopes of etching their names into the history books.

Play-off Route Opens the Door for Small Nations to Progress

FIFA has confirmed a high-stakes intercontinental play-off tournament in another eye-catching addition to the qualification process for the 2026 World Cup.

The expanded 48-team format has forced the organising body to come up with a new qualification system, and the play-offs will create a more dramatic pathway to the world’s biggest football stage.

A six-team tournament will be held in one of the host nations to determine the final two places at the World Cup. Participants will include one team from six confederations – AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC and AFC. UEFA are not included in this process.

An additional team from the host confederation (CONCACAF) will also compete in the play-offs, meaning there could be up to 18 CONCACAF teams at the World Cup.

The tournament will be a knockout format with a seeded element. The two highest-ranked teams based on the FIFA world rankings will receive byes to the semi-finals, while the other four teams will compete in two one-off matches.

The winners of these matches will then face the seeded teams. The two finalists will secure their place at the 2026 World Cup.