World Cup 2026: four debutants and the long-absent returnees
Back After 5 Decades Plus Who Is Making Their World Cup Debut
Do you want to know which is the smallest country ever to play at the World Cup? Which World Cup winner is leading a debutant nation at this World Cup? Which countries return to the tournament after a five-decade absence?
Well, you are in the right place - we have answers to all these questions and more. Let’s get into it.
The four debutants
Four nations make their World Cup debut in 2026: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan.
Cape Verde (Group H, Opta rating 59.8). The West African archipelago of around 500,000 people qualified through African qualifying. Group H pairs them with Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
Curaçao (Group E, Opta rating 45.7). Rated 117th in the world by Opta, Curaçao are the lowest-rated team in the entire 48-team field. With a population of around 150,000, they are also the smallest country ever to play at the World Cup, taking the record from Iceland (around 340,000 at Russia 2018). Their group includes Germany, Ecuador and Ivory Coast.
Jordan (Group J, Opta rating 63.1). Drawn alongside reigning champions Argentina, with Austria and Algeria completing the group.
Uzbekistan (Group K, Opta rating 70.4). Managed by 2006 World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro, Uzbekistan lost only one of their qualifying matches en route to the tournament. Their group features Colombia, Portugal and DR Congo.
It Has Been A While - Good To See You Again
Long-absent returnees: Haiti, DR Congo and Iraq
Three nations return to the World Cup after long absences. Haiti and DR Congo both played at West Germany 1974 and have not appeared at a tournament since, making 2026 a 52-year reunion. Iraq’s last appearance was Mexico 1986.
Haiti (Group C, Opta rating 52.3). First World Cup since 1974. Concacaf qualifier; ranked 89th globally, the lowest-rated side in Brazil’s group. Face Brazil, Morocco and Scotland.
DR Congo (Group K, Opta rating 65.0). First World Cup since 1974, when they appeared as Zaire and conceded nine goals to Yugoslavia in the group stage. Came through the first intercontinental play-off in March 2026. Face Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan.
Iraq (Group I, Opta rating 63.2). First World Cup since Mexico 1986. Came through the second intercontinental play-off in March 2026. Group I pairs them with France, Norway and Senegal, three top-30 sides on the Opta Power Rankings.
What’s covered in the full Briefing
The xGenius World Cup 2026 Briefing covers in-depth profiles of the 16 top-rated and form-leading sides at the tournament, plus a 32-team reference table for every qualified nation.
Inside:
· 16 narrative team profiles with form, key player, and World Cup history
· A 32-team reference table covering every qualified nation
· Form-vs-reputation analysis for the contenders
· Group-by-group competitive shapes and where the market value sits
The Briefing is built specifically for the 2026 tournament.
