Russia Overview

Four nations will make debuts at the 2026 World Cup, with Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan set to grace the grandest stage in international football for the first time. It will be the tournament with the most newcomers since 2006 and all will have ambitions of ending a 16-year wait for a debutant to reach the knockout stages.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has sparked fresh controversy by declaring that Russia’s ban from international football should "definitely" be lifted. In a wide-ranging and explosive interview, the Swiss official argued that the exclusion has failed to achieve its goals and has only created "frustration," while also doubling down on his decision to award United States president Donald Trump a bespoke "peace prize."