As the five lowest-ranked nations at the FIFA World Cup 2026™ according to the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking, Cabo Verde, Curaçao, Ghana, Haiti and New Zealand face an uphill battle to reach the knockout phase.
FIFA weighs up the quintet’s group prospects at the 48-team finals.
Cabo Verde
FIFA Ranking: 69th
Group opponents: Saudi Arabia, Spain, Uruguay
Cabo Verde finished top of CAF qualifying Group D, four points clear of Cameroon and with even healthier buffers on the likes of Libya and Angola. The Blue Sharks won seven of their 10 fixtures, drawing twice and losing just once – in Cameroon.
Pedro ‘Bubista’ Brito’s charges arrive at their maiden World Cup as massive underdogs, but their polished qualifying campaign proved that what they lack in size as one of the smallest nations at the finals, they more than make up for with application, organisation and spirit.
Cabo Verde’s World Cup opener against 2010 champions and Group H favourites Spain represents the ultimate trial by fire, with few expecting them to emerge unscathed. Instead, their hopes of landing a historic place in the Round of 32 will likely be decided in meetings with Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
Captain and record appearance-maker Ryan Mendes remains the heartbeat of the side, but if the West African island country are to make real progress, they will need Dailon Livramento to build on his lively performances in qualifying. The 25-year-old, who spent last season on loan at Portugal’s Casa Pia from Italian club Hellas Verona, scored a team-leading four goals in eight appearances – including a brace against Angola.
Curaçao
FIFA Ranking: 82nd
Group opponents: Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Germany
Curaçao made a huge splash in Concacaf qualifying, belying their newfound status as the smallest nation in World Cup history – with a population of just over 150,000 – to reach the finals. The Blue Wave sailed through the second round of qualifying, before finishing a point clear of Jamaica in Group B to seal the deal without a loss.
The Caribbean island nation certainly have their work cut out in Group E. After a stern opening test against four-time champions Germany, Dick Advocaat’s side must also contend with Côte d’Ivoire and Ecuador.
Cinderella may yet have her moment at the ball – Curaçao will be competitive and well oiled under the 2026 tournament’s oldest head coach – but it will take a monumental effort to keep the clock from striking midnight before the Round of 32.
Fans of the European club game may already be familiar with former Feyenoord and Manchester United youngster Tahith Chong. Although the now Sheffield United winger lacks the experience of Curaçao captain Leandro Bacuna, he possesses the electric pace and trickery needed to change a game in the blink of an eye.
Ghana
FIFA Ranking: 74th
Group opponents: Croatia, England, Panama
Ghana return to the World Cup stage for the fifth time, after finishing comfortably clear of closest pursuers Madagascar atop CAF qualifying Group I. The Black Stars collected 25 points from a possible 30, registering some 23 goals along the way.
Carlos Queiroz and his team open with what will be widely regarded as a must-win encounter with Panama, before taking on Group L favourites Croatia and England. Those two fixtures will likely decide whether they bow out early or progress to the next phase – either as one of the eight best third-placed sides or, perhaps more ambitiously, as runners-up.
The West African powerhouses have reached the knockout rounds twice before but, even in an expanded format, replicating their run to the 2010 quarter-finals – which ended in a now infamous penalty shoot-out defeat to Uruguay – may still prove a bridge too far.
Antoine Semenyo is arguably in the form of his life ahead of his second taste of the finals. The 26-year-old winger scored 16 Premier League goals and a further three in the FA Cup – including the winning goal in the final – across a domestic season which he started with a bang for Bournemouth and ended with a flourish in the colours of Manchester City. Needless to say, Queiroz will be hoping his star man’s purple patch continues on the world stage.
Haiti
FIFA Ranking: 83rd
Group opponents: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland
Haiti secured their spot at the finals without playing a single qualifying game on home soil. Les Grenadiers topped a four-nation Concacaf qualifying group, ultimately finishing two points clear of Honduras.
Competing at the World Cup for only the second time in their history – and the first since a pointless exit in 1974 – Haiti will face Brazil, Morocco and Scotland in one of the tournament’s toughest groups.
Sebastien Migne’s side start as rank outsiders, yet there is a growing belief this fearless Haitian ensemble could make life very uncomfortable for their more fancied rivals. A shock result against Scotland in their opening fixture has the potential to transform their prospects and blow Group C wide open.
If Haiti are to spring a surprise, much will depend on captain Duckens Nazon. The experienced forward – who plays his club football in IR Iran for Esteghlal – is the team’s resident goal broker, having struck six times in qualifying. His leadership skills, hold-up play and ability to punish teams on the counter will be vital in matches where Haiti are expected to spend long periods without the ball.
New Zealand
FIFA Ranking: 85th
Group opponents: Belgium, Egypt, IR Iran
New Zealand powered over the finish line to secure the OFC’s first automatic World Cup qualifying berth. The All Whites recorded five wins from as many games, chalking up an eye-watering aggregate score of 29-1.
After early exits in 1982 and 2010, New Zealand have a real opportunity to reach the knockouts for the first time. Belgium are the obvious hurdle in Group G, but there may be very little to separate Darren Bazeley’s side from Egypt and IR Iran.
That said, the step up from OFC qualifying is significant, and the All Whites will need to lean on discipline, patience and set-piece efficiency to stay competitive. With margins so fine, a moment or two of good fortune could decide their fate.
Despite missing the rump of the recently ended Premier League campaign through injury, Chris Wood has returned to full fitness in time for his second World Cup – and first as captain. The Nottingham Forest forward scored nine times in qualifying after hitting 20 goals in the 2024/25 Premier League season, underlining his status as his country’s undisputed talisman.
