2026 World Cup: England, Portugal, Norway near spots

England and Portugal are leading their 2026 World Cup qualifying groups with two games to spare. England remain unbeaten and have yet to concede a goal in five matches. They are seven points ahead of Albania, who have one game in hand. A win over Latvia next Tuesday could seal England’s spot if Serbia fail to beat Albania. England impressed with a 5-0 win over Serbia last month and continue to rotate players. Coach Thomas Tuchel left out key names like Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden to reward others for strong team performances.

Portugal are also on the verge of qualification after scoring eight goals in their last two matches. Roberto Martinez’s side will qualify with wins over Ireland and Hungary this week. However, if Armenia win both of their matches, Portugal will have to wait. Cristiano Ronaldo remains a key player, scoring three goals in September. His penalty helped seal a dramatic 3-2 win over Hungary in Budapest. Portugal aim to make their seventh straight World Cup appearance.

Norway are one win away from returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1998. They’ve scored 24 goals in five straight victories, led by Erling Haaland with nine goals. Haaland scored five in a crushing 11-1 win over Moldova. Norway face Israel on Saturday and can qualify if Italy drop points. However, captain Martin Odegaard is ruled out with a knee injury. Coach Stale Solbakken urged his team to stay focused and adjust quickly.

Italy are under pressure to avoid missing a third World Cup in a row. They failed in the play-offs in both 2018 and 2022. To qualify directly, they must win key games against Estonia and Israel. Meanwhile, France could secure qualification by beating Azerbaijan and Iceland, depending on Ukraine’s result. Spain, the reigning European champions, also have a chance but need several other results to go their way.

Other teams like Croatia and Switzerland could qualify this week with wins. Germany, however, are in a tough spot after losing to Slovakia in their opener. Julian Nagelsmann’s side must bounce back against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland. As the qualifiers heat up, every match could decide who makes it to the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.