The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be a historic event, with 48 nations competing for football’s top prize. This increase from 32 for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar means that countries have never had a better chance to compete on the world’s largest stage.
A total of 209 countries entered World Cup qualifying for next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with one qualified nation, Eritrea, withdrawing due to concerns that its players may seek asylum in other countries while going to away matches.
However, eight countries have been denied the opportunity to join the list of the smallest countries to play in a World Cup because they are not recognised as nations by FIFA, the governing body of world football. GIVEMESPORT looks at the eight countries that were barred from World Cup qualification.
Vatican City
Despite former Pope Francis’ greatest efforts, the papal residence failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2026. Pope Francis was an avid football enthusiast and admirer of Argentine giants San Lorenzo, and he made it his mission to get Vatican City into tournaments during his rule.
Pope Francis reportedly spoke with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin about future FIFA membership chances ahead of the Euro 2020 final. His successor, Pope Leo, is likewise a football lover, but he did not reveal which team he supports. However, he has recently spoken warmly of Italian rivals Roma and Napoli.
Despite not being in contention for the World Cup, Vatican City does have a men’s and women’s team that routinely competes in friendlies against clubs from Italy and throughout the world.
Nauru
Nauru, located near Australia, has ambitious plans to join FIFA in 2024. The Oceanian nation, the world’s third-smallest, went big by appointing former Reading player Dave Kitson as manager in an attempt to get into the big time.
They even planned to play their first 11-a-side match against Reading XL FC. However, the problem was arguably highlighted in 2022 when the nation’s director of football, Charlie Pomroy, told Forbes that their sole ‘decent quality’ pitch was located within the nearby prison. There may be more work to be done, but Nauru is determined to break free from football’s confines.
Marshall Islands
The Marshall Islands, a relatively new football nation, are eager to make a statement. The Marshall Islands Football Federation was established in 2020, and the country now has ambitious goals of competing with the world’s top football clubs.
The Marshall Islands, eager to make a mark, went viral earlier this year when they played their first 11-a-side match, leaving Nauru as the only country that has not done so. The Oceania island competed in the Outrigger Challenge Cup, a four-team tournament that included the Turks and Caicos Islands, the US Virgin Islands, and Ozark United U19.
Federated States of Micronesia.
The Federated States of Micronesia is a one-of-a-kind country made up of over 600 small islands in Oceania and divided into four island states: Pohnpei, Kosrae, Chuuk, and Yap. Previously coached by Canadian football writer Paul Watson, who collaborated with the national football federation to create a futsal competition in 2023.
That futsal team, which plays five-a-side on a court, entered the 2024 Outrigger Challenge Cup. Unfortunately for them, the biggest difficulty confronting the Federated States of Micronesia is a lack of resources to develop their 11-a-side football profile.
To provide an indication of the difficulties they confront, their under-23s squad went about 1400 miles to play in the 2015 Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea, where they lost all three games, scoring no goals and surrendering 114 goals, including a 46-0 defeat against Vanuatu. Perhaps next time, boys.
Monaco
If finance has been a stumbling factor for many of the nations on this list, Monaco is an exception. Despite the fact that AS Monaco is a Ligue 1 powerhouse, the European principality currently lacks a FIFA-recognised national team.
The club, which is competing in the Champions League this year, has seen superstars emerge from its junior academy, including Kylian Mbappe and Thierry Henry. However, they would be ineligible to represent them because they were not born in the principality.
As a result, Monaco has a limited talent pool to draw from, with the national squad primarily made up of locals. Monaco is not represented by FIFA or UEFA, and with an anticipated population of 38,600 in 2025, competing with Europe’s biggest clubs will be a difficult task.
Palau
Palau, located in Oceania, is an archipelago of over 500 islands. Palau is thought to be the world’s 16th smallest country, with a total population of approximately 18,000 people. As a result of Palau’s lack of an active football league, forming a competitive football team appears to be a daunting task.
Plans to re-establish the Palau Football League were announced in February 2024. The organisation was suspended four years ago, in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the relaunch plans were put on hold due to the need for renovations on the nation’s only 11-a-side football pitch.
Kiribati
Kiribati, arguably the nation on this list with the oldest football history, has been participating in the sport since 1979. However, the nation has not played a competitive men’s team game in 14 years. Meanwhile, the women’s squad has not played competitively since 2003.
Kiribati is located in Oceania and is home to an estimated 134,500 people. In 2015, the nation appointed Englishman Jake Kewley as manager, and Kewley revealed to Thinkhouse in 2017 that all but one of Kiribati’s pitches had little to no grass and were designated as public property. As a result, a lack of funds is proving to be a major issue in achieving FIFA recognition.
Tuvalu
Tuvalu, located in the South Pacific, is a small island that belongs to the British Commonwealth. As one of the world’s tiniest and most distant islands, the challenge of competing on the global football stage is tremendous.
Tuvalu now has a domestic organisation for both men’s and women’s football, indicating a strong commitment to the sport. They also competed at the Pacific Games, but finished last in their group.
They have yet to become a FIFA-affiliated nation, but they have ambitious intentions to get there. Tuvalu’s football association granted additional certifications to a number of coaches in November in order to gain membership in the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and FIFA.
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