Qualified Success? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Qualified for 2026 World Cup

The Cape Verde "Blue Sharks" qualified for a World Cup for the first time in 2026. They topped an African group that included the eight time World Cup qualifiers Cameroon. With a population of just over half a million, they were one of the least populated countries ever to qualify. Their home stadium in the capital city, Praia, had a capacity of 15,000.

Answer: Qualified previously but not for 2026

Nigeria reached the World Cup on six occasions before 2026, the last of which was the 2018 tournament in Russia. The team's best performance was reaching the round of 16, which it achieved three times. For 2026 Nigeria came second in the group won by South Africa, and went into the second round of qualifiers.

They reached the knockout phase but missed a chance of competing in the inter-continental playoffs by being defeated on penalties by the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the final.

Answer: Never qualified previously or for 2026

By 2026, though Mali had qualified for the African Cup of Nations 14 times, being runners-up to Congo in 1972, and getting to the quarter finals in 2025 after beating Tunisia, they had not qualified for a World Cup. For the 2026 qualifying contest they underperformed - coming third in the group won by Ghana, and behind lowly Madagascar.

Answer: Qualified for 2026 World Cup

The 2026 World Cup was the first for which Jordan qualified. "The Chivalrous Ones" came through the third round of the Asian Football Confederation qualifiers, coming second in a group won by South Korea.

Answer: Qualified previously but not for 2026

North Korea first reached the World Cup in 1966, where they charmed English fans and impressed the world. They beat Italy on the way to being the first Asian team to get through the group phase, and reached the quarter finals where they surrendered a 3-0 lead to lose 5-3 to Portugal. North Korea reached the World Cup again in 2010. For the 2026 tournament they reached the third Asian qualifying round, but finished last in the group from which Iran and Uzbekistan qualified.

Answer: Never qualified previously or for 2026

Oman didn't make it to the World Cup in 2026 or an earlier edition, though they had appeared in the AFC Asian Cup six times. For the 2026 tournament they failed to qualify directly from the third round, but were high enough in their group to proceed to the fourth round, in which their attempt failed when they finished third in the group from which Qatar qualified and United Arab Emirates went on to a playoff.

Answer: Qualified for 2026 World Cup

Paraguay played in the World Cup eight times before 2026. They took part in the inaugural tournament in Uruguay in 1930, and achieved their best performance in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, losing in the quarter finals to the eventual champions, Spain.

In the CONMEBOL qualifying contest for the 2026 World Cup, Paraguay were successful by finishing sixth, gaining the same number of points as fellow qualifiers Colombia, Uruguay and Brazil.

Answer: Qualified previously but not for 2026

Peru reached the World Cup tournament five times before 2026, and reached the quarter finals twice. In 1970 they lost to eventual winners Brazil. In the 1978 World Cup in Argentina they had probably the best player, Teófilo Cubillas, and definitely the best kit.

The quarter finals were contested in two round robin groups of four. Peru lost all three of its matches, including a highly controversial and convenient 6-0 win that allowed the hosts and eventual winners to reach the semi-final. In the CONMEBOL qualifying contest for the 2026 World Cup, Peru did disastrously badly, finishing ninth in the table behind less fancied Venezuela and Bolivia.

Answer: Never qualified previously or for 2026

Venezuela remained the only CONMEBOL national team that had never qualified for the World Cup. This was despite a fourth place finish in the 2011 Copa America. In the qualifying contest for the 2026 World Cup, Venezuela finished eighth and failed to qualify.

Answer: Qualified for 2026 World Cup

The joint oldest team in international football (with England), Scotland qualified for eight World Cups before 2026, the last of which was in 1998, but never managed to get through the group stage to the knockout rounds. Probably their best performance at a World Cup was beating the talented Netherlands side 3-2 in 1978. For the 2026 tournament, Scotland qualified directly by topping a group ahead of Denmark, Greece, and Belarus.

Answer: Qualified previously but not for 2026

Italy is one of the leading football nations in the world, winning the World Cup in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006. Their fortunes diminished in 2010 and 2014, when they failed to get past the group stage. They then failed to reach the World Cup in 2018, 2022 and 2026, despite being good enough to win the European Championship in 2020..

For the 2026 World Cup, Italy came second in a group behind Norway, who thrashed them home and away. This qualified Italy for the playoffs, where they defeated Northern Ireland, before losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso showed bad grace by complaining that Italy should have qualified directly for finishing second in their group ahead of the hardly mighty teams of Israel, Estonia, and Moldova! When the World Cup co-hosts the USA attacked Iran, Paolo Zampolli, a special envoy to Donald Trump, suggested Italy could be added to the World Cup instead of Iran, thus pleasing the large community of Americans with Italian ancestry. The Italian sports minister, Andrea Abodi, was quick to call this stitch-up inappropriate: "Qualification is on the pitch.".

Answer: Never qualified previously or for 2026

After achieving independence, Armenia played its first international match in 1992. They again failed to qualify for the World Cup - for the 2026 qualification contest Armenia was in a group alongside Portugal, Ireland, and Hungary. Unsurprisingly they finished last in the group, managing only three points for a home win against Ireland.

Answer: Qualified for 2026 World Cup

Bosnia and Herzegovina had its first international match in 1995 and reached the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where they failed to advance from the group stage. For the 2026 World Cup qualification, Bosnia and Herzegovina finished second in their group behind Austria and ahead of Romania.

This qualified them for the play-offs, where they beat Wales and then Italy, both on penalties, to reach the World Cup.

Answer: Qualified previously but not for 2026

Hungary has had a successful history as an international football team, winning the Olympic gold medal three times, and coming second in the World Cups of 1938 and 1954. In 1954 they beat West Germany 8-3 in their group match before losing 3-2 in the final against the same opponents.

Their celebrated "Golden" 1950s team revolutionized football, and was the highest ranked team in history. They qualified for the World Cup nine times between 1934 and 1986, but then by 2026 had gone forty years without making it to the tournament. For the 2026 World Cup qualification contest Hungary finished third in their group behind Portugal and the Republic of Ireland, and did not progress.

Answer: Never qualified previously or for 2026

Estonia played its first international in 1920. After invasion by the USSR during World War II the team stopped playing, only resuming in 1992 after liberation. Estonia had not made the World Cup before 2026. For the 2026 tournament, Estonia finished fourth in a group behind Norway, Italy, and Israel, and failed to progress. Their only win was an away victory against Moldova.