Qualifying for the 2026 World Cup will dominate plenty of the sporting headlines next year as the five teams from the United and Ireland strive to secure a place in the tournament.
England are one of the favourites to lift the trophy and are banker bets to qualify, but the Republic of Ireland, Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland will hope to accompany them to North America.
With that in mind, read on as we assess each team’s respective chances of making it to the 2026 World Cup, starting with the Three Lions.
England
England fans would love nothing more than to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their triumph on home soil in 1966 with another World Cup title.
New manager Thomas Tuchel did a transformative job at Chelsea, and he will be eager to demonstrate he has what it takes to end England’s trophy drought.
Tactically, he is one of the best in the world. He has outwitted coaching greats such as Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti.
Tuchel has some of the finest footballers in the world at his disposal. However, given England’s penchant for failing at major tournaments, it would be a brave move to back them to lift the trophy.
Odds of 7.50 will attract plenty of interest from England fans, but they may be well-advised to look elsewhere for potential winners of the World Cup.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland have never made it past the quarter-finals but will aim to exceed expectations after hiring a manager renowned for leading teams that punch above their weight.
Heimir Hallgrimsson’s Iceland team captivated the world at international tournaments, and his time with Jamaica was quite promising results-wise despite the sour ending.
Winning the World Cup may be several steps too far for the Emerald Isle, and odds of 1001.00 highlight the size of the task they face.
However, the best football betting sites will be inundated with optimistic Irish wagers in markets such as ‘win the group’ or ‘reach the quarter-finals’.
Replicating their 1990s heroics will be the ultimate goal for Ireland and their army of fans would be in clover if the team can make progress in North America.
Scotland
Scotland are enjoying a mini-revival and need to carry this momentum into the World Cup. They claimed back-to-back wins over Poland and Croatia in November following a draw with Portugal.
Their fans will be buoyed by the latest results. They must deliver these performances in North America to give their fans a memorable campaign.
Scotland have not managed an appearance on the world stage since 1998, but the Tartan Army can change that narrative with this momentum.
They will be happy to secure one of the 16 qualification slots allocated to Europe, but a historic run to the knockout phase could be on the cards if they keep pushing.
Manager Steve Clarke has the perfect blend of experienced generals and younger talents who could help Scotland make the 2026 World Cup truly memorable.
Wales
Wales have only lost one game since they missed out on a place at the 2024 European Championship after being knocked out by Poland.
In the latest round of international fixtures, they held Turkey to a 0-0 draw before pummelling Iceland 4-1 in Wales.
Craig Bellamy has enjoyed a fantastic start to his tenure as manager, winning three and drawing three. He will be eager for his side carry this terrific form into the US, Mexico and Canada.
Wales exited the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in the group stage and will be eyeing a deeper run into the knockout phase this time around.
They will hopefully replicate or improve on their first World Cup appearance in 1958, where they reached the quarter-finals.
Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland national football team is currently unbeaten in their last four outings in the third tier of the Nations League, registering two wins and two draws.
Those results have come against Belarus, Bulgaria and Luxembourg. These are not world-beaters, but it will boost their confidence.
Northern Ireland’s last appearance at the World Cup was in 1986, and they will be eager to take advantage of the extended format to secure a place in 2026.
In his second stint as Northern Ireland manager, Michael O’Neill has been tasked with guiding the team to the top table in international football.
O’Neill won’t envisage a World Cup win, but the former Shamrock Rovers and Stoke City manager could galvanise this squad to deliver a special run.
