Italy edged out as teams qualify for World Cup

Flashback 2022: Argentina wins World Cup 

Four-time world champions Italy failed to qualify for a place at the 2026 football World Cup after a devastating penalty shootout defeat at the hands of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Bosnia-Herzegovina have now qualified for just the second time in their history and will face Canada, Qatar and Switzerland in Group B this summer.

A record 48 nations - up from the 32 that featured in Qatar four years ago - will take part in the 2026 edition, making it the largest World Cup field, with 104 matches to be played across three countries for the first time.

It will take place in 16 cities - 11 in the US, three in Mexico and two in Canada - between 11 June and 19 July.

The tournament will also last a record 39 days - an increase from 29 days in Qatar and 32 in 2014 and 2018 - and a new format features 12 groups of four.

Mexico will face South Africa in Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca to open the tournament on Thursday, 11 June - 18 days after the conclusion of the Premier League season.

The top two teams from the 12 groups and the eight best third‑placed nations will advance into an expanded knockout phase that will begin with a round of 32.

The new world champion will be crowned at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19.

European champions Spain are the favourites, having enjoyed an almost flawless route through qualification.

Just behind Spain, this generation of England players is tipped to land some silverware, having finished runners-up at the past two Euros.

Thomas Tuchel’s team qualified for the World Cup with a perfect record, winning all of their matches without conceding a goal. They have a squad brimming with big names including Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.

France are also strong contenders. Didier Deschamps’ squad have a fearsome front line, including Bradley Barcola, Michael Olise, Kylian Mbappe and Hugo Ekitike, and the 2022 runners-up were unbeaten in European qualifying.

Defending World Cup champions Argentina won the South American qualifying group by a big margin, finishing nine points ahead of second-placed Ecuador.

Finally, despite an underwhelming qualification campaign - in which they finished fifth in the Conmebol table after losing six of their 18 matches - and winning the last of their record five World Cups 22 years ago, who would confidently rule out Brazil?

With games taking place across four time zones and at locations up to 2,800 miles apart, there will be a total of 13 different kick-off times.