Meet the debutants at the 2026 World Cup 🏆 | OneFootball

The expansion of the FIFA World Cup to 48 teams has opened the doors of football’s biggest stage to new cultures and allowed several countries to make history in the tournament jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

The tournament will bring fascinating stories of overcoming adversity, absolute debuts, and a highly anticipated reunion with the past.

Find out how each of these teams secured their place and what to expect from them in the group stage:

🇨🇻 Cape Verde: The pride of the African diaspora

The Cape Verde national team made history by becoming the smallest country by land area and the second least populous to take part in a World Cup edition.

The team bounced back after an inconsistent start in the qualifiers and put together a winning streak (including victories over Angola and Cameroon), totaling seven wins, two draws, and just one defeat.

The strength of the team coached by Bubista comes from strong talent scouting within the diaspora.

Standouts: Veteran forward Ryan Mendes (the national team’s all-time top scorer), captain and goalkeeper Vozinha, and young Dailon Livramento.

Where they will play: Group H. Their debut will be on June 15 against Spain in Atlanta, starting at 1:00 p.m. (Brasília time). They will then face Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.

🇨🇼 Curaçao: The Caribbean island under Dutch command

The island of just over 150,000 inhabitants made history by becoming the least populous national team ever to qualify for a World Cup.

Representing Concacaf, the "Blue Wave" arrives unbeaten in the qualifiers, with seven wins and three draws.

The team’s restructuring culminated in the arrival of the experienced Dick Advocaat, 78, who is about to become the oldest coach in World Cup history.

Standouts: The talent of Tahith Chong, brothers Leandro and Juninho Bacuna, goalkeeper Eloy Room, and forwards Kenji Gorré, Gervane Kastaneer, and Rangelo Janga.

Where they will play: Group E. Their debut will be against Germany on June 14 at 2:00 p.m. (Brasília time) in Houston. They will then face Ecuador and Ivory Coast.

🇯🇴 Jordan: The crowning of a great generation

After coming close in 2014 (when they were eliminated in the playoff against Uruguay), Jordan confirmed its historic first-ever qualification in the Asian Qualifiers.

Under Jamal Sellami, the team topped its group in the second round and kept up the pace in the decisive stage.

In total, it recorded eight wins, five draws, and three losses in 16 matches, crowning a project that had already produced a runner-up finish at the 2023 Asian Cup.

Standouts: Ali Al Olwan, Mousa Al Tamari, Yazan Al Naimat, and Nizar Al-Rashdan lead the team’s play.

Where they will play: Group J. Their first match will be against Austria on June 17 at 1:00 a.m. (Brasília time) in Santa Clara. After that, they will face Algeria and then the major challenge against defending champions Argentina.

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan: The strength of Central Asia

Becoming the first Central Asian team to play in the tournament, Uzbekistan dominated the Asian qualifiers, advancing unbeaten in the second round and posting ten wins, five draws, and suffering just one defeat in the overall campaign.

The team is drawing even more media attention for being coached by Italian Fabio Cannavaro, a World Cup winner as a player in 2006.

Standouts: Captain Eldor Shomurodov (Roma), center-back Abdukodir Khusanov (Manchester City), and promising midfielder Abbosbek Fayzullaev are the pillars of the team.

Where they will play: Group K. Their debut will be against Colombia on June 17 at the Azteca Stadium, at 11:00 p.m. (Brasília time). They will then take on Portugal and DR Congo.

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo: The return with a historical nuance

For the vast majority of modern fans, the Congolese team’s participation seems like an absolute novelty, since it is the first time the nation will compete in a World Cup under its current name, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The team arrives with momentum after coming through the African playoffs and beating Jamaica in the final of the intercontinental playoff. However, FIFA does not count it as a complete debut in absolute terms.

The history: The country already competed on football’s biggest stage 52 years ago, at the 1974 World Cup in West Germany.

At that time, the state was officially called Zaire. Thus, its current qualification represents a historic return after more than half a century away!

Standouts: The squad includes big names playing in Europe, such as Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Cédric Bakambu, and Yoane Wissa.

Where they will play: Group K, where they will face Portugal, Colombia, and tournament debutant Uzbekistan.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 Anvar Ilyasov - 2026 Getty Images