2026 Fifa World Cup draw stirs up infectious football fever
Former Brazil player Dunga lifts the World Cup trophy alongside former US player Marcelo Balboa, former Canada player Atiba Hutchinson and former Mexico player Luis Hernandez ahead of the World Cup draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington on December 3, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Harambee Stars, 53 years and counting, have continued to bite the dust in their perennial campaign to reach the promised land.
- Remarkably, Curacao, with a population of only 150,000, becomes the smallest nation to qualify for the World Cup.
Successive Kenya Football Federation presidents have seduced Harambee Stars fans' emotions to feverish levels with promises of qualifying the country for the World Cup.
Corporate mogul Maina Kariuki at the turn of the century, proven football administrator Alfred Sambu after him, litigious Sam Nyamwea, and, more recently, loquacious Nick Mwendwa, all promised, with infectious enthusiasm, to take Harambee Stars to football’s nirvana
But alas, Harambee Stars, 53 years and counting, have continued to bite the dust in their perennial campaign to reach the promised land.
It was no different in the latest qualifiers as Kenya limped to a disappointing fourth place finish in Group “F”, won by Cote d’Ivoire’s Elephants. Only group winners secured direct tickets to the 2026 World Cup.
The draw will be conducted on Friday at the historic John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC.
Even without Kenya, I am already excited about the 2026 World Cup that will be the biggest in history.
Africa’s inspiring story
Already, four unfancied countries are in line to make their maiden appearance – Jordan, Cabo Verde, Curacao and Uzbekistan.
Remarkably, Curacao, with a population of only 150,000, becomes the smallest nation to qualify for the World Cup. Ten years ago, the southern Caribbean island nation was ranked 150th in the world by Fifa. Indeed, all dreams are valid.
Cabo Verde, previously known as Cape Verde, are Africa’s inspiring story. A tiny Atlantic Ocean island nation with a population the size of Nakuru, whose nation team Harambee Stars routinely dispatched several years ago, are now destined for football's grandest stage.
Africa will be represented by eight nations, up from five in Qatar 2022. Morocco, fourth four years ago, lead the continent’s contingent that also has perennial campaigners Tunisia, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, together with Egypt, South Africa and Ghana.
Africa could have a ninth representative if DR Congo grab an inter-continental play-off spot. The Congolese, whose only appearance in the world final is way back in 1974, playing as Zaire, will face either Jamaica or New Caledonia in Mexico in March for the right to return to the global showpiece.
I am excited for Norway returning to the World Cup after a 28-year hiatus for one reason. The world’s most prolific striker, Erling Haaland, who was conspicuously absent in Qatar 2022, will finally get to strut his deadly stuff at the most elite of stages. He scored a European World Cup qualifying record-equaling 16 goals to power the Scandinavians to the top of their group with a perfect eight wins from eight matches.
Countdown to 104-match World Cup
The path to the finals, though dominated by the traditional giants, paradoxically, does not respect tradition.
African heavyweights and regular participants Nigeria and Cameroon, will be a visible no show in 2026.
Italy, aka the Azzurri, four-time world champions, may fail to qualify for a third successive time. They were pushed to the play-offs in March, where they will host Northern Ireland, with the winners playing either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina for a ticket to the 2026 finals.
Clemente A. Lisi, in his book The FIFA World Cup: A History of the Planet’s Biggest Sporting Event, wrote thus: “The world’s largest religion is Christianity, with 2.4 billion adherents. I often joke that the biggest religion on earth is soccer (football)."
I am, daily, on my knees, fervently praying that God grants me providence to witness what will be the biggest World Cup in history from June 10 to July 19.
For now, I can't wait for the draw and official countdown to the 104-match World Cup, the first to be co-hosted by, not two, but three countries -- Canada, Mexico, and the USA.
