One notable country that did not qualify for World Cup 2026 is Italy. Other high-profile absentees include Chile and Nigeria.

Notable misses

  • Italy is the biggest headline absence in many roundups of teams that missed out.
  • Chile and Nigeria are also repeatedly listed among the notable national teams left out.
  • For a broader list of eliminated teams, FIFA’s qualifying page also records teams already knocked out on the road to the tournament.

Why it stands out

Italy gets attention because it is a traditional heavyweight, so its absence feels more surprising than smaller nations missing out. With the expanded 48-team format, fewer major teams were expected to be left behind, which makes the biggest omissions more noticeable.

Quick Scoop

Italy is the clearest answer if you want one famous country that missed World Cup 2026.