The Spanish national football team is on the brink of securing its place at the FIFA World Cup 2026, following a commanding 4-0 victory over Georgia on the evening of November 15. This dominant performance showcased Spain’s strong form in the qualifiers.
However, Spain’s immediate qualification celebration was temporarily put on hold. This was due to the Turkish national team’s crucial 2-0 win against Bulgaria, a result that ensured the race for automatic qualification in Group E would extend to the final matchday.
Similarly, Switzerland’s path to automatic qualification was also challenged. Despite a strong performance from the Swiss side, Kosovo’s concurrent victory prevented Switzerland from confirming their spot prematurely, setting up their own decisive final fixture.
Spain has maintained an impressive perfect record throughout their five matches in Group E, notably keeping a clean sheet in every game. Their recent 4-0 triumph over Georgia solidified their position at the top of the standings with a maximum of 15 points. Despite this flawless run, Spain has not yet guaranteed automatic qualification for the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Turkey, with their 2-0 win over Bulgaria, remains just three points behind Spain, setting the stage for a thrilling final encounter between the two teams. In Group E, Georgia and Bulgaria are now eliminated from contention, making the upcoming clash between Spain and Turkey a direct showdown to determine which team earns the coveted automatic qualification spot and which will proceed to the challenging play-off round.
Switzerland also faced a delay in securing their automatic qualification, despite holding a three-point lead over their closest rival. In their fifth match in Group B, Switzerland defeated Sweden with a convincing 4-1 scoreline. Concurrently, Kosovo clinched an important 2-0 victory against Slovenia. While Sweden and Slovenia are now out of the running for a spot in the World Cup finals, Switzerland and Kosovo are set to face each other in a pivotal concluding fixture. This match will determine which team directly advances to the World Cup and which will participate in the play-offs.
Beyond the intense battles in Group E and Group B, numerous other European qualifying groups are also poised for dramatic conclusions on the final matchday, with each nation vying for their automatic qualification slot. Only Groups D, K, and L have already seen their champions — France, England, and Croatia, respectively — secure their places at the World Cup early.
In Group A, Germany and Slovakia, currently level on 12 points, are scheduled to meet in a winner-take-all final match. Group C will witness a critical encounter between Denmark, who lead with 11 points, and Scotland, currently in second place with 10 points. The outcome of this game will be crucial for qualification aspirations.
Group G presents another tightly contested race, with the Netherlands currently leading on 17 points, closely followed by Poland with 14 points. Their upcoming head-to-head match will be a pivotal one in deciding the group winner. Similarly, Austria and Bosnia will battle it out in their final group fixture to claim the top spot in Group H.
Norway, who have maintained a perfect record of seven wins to lead Group I, will face a decisive challenge against Italy in their concluding match to determine automatic qualification. Finally, in Group J, Belgium sits atop the standings with 15 points from seven matches, holding a two-point advantage over both second-placed North Macedonia and third-placed Wales. The final matchday will see Belgium take on Liechtenstein, while Wales will face North Macedonia, with all teams still having a chance to influence the final standings and qualification berths.
