by Most Confederations’ World Cup 2026 qualification campaigns are well underway, but things haven’t yet kicked off in Europe.
Thanks to a jam-packed schedule crammed full with Euro 2024 and the Nations League, UEFA has only just completed the draw that will determine the road to North America over the next 18 months.
But with that now complete, some mouth-watering ties have been thrown up. In Group I, either Germany or Italy will have to surpass the challenge of Erling Haaland’s Norway if they want to secure a direct route to the biggest show on earth.
In Group J, Belgium and Wales are set to rematch their Euro 2016 quarterfinal, a contest that the Red Dragons shockingly won by three goals to one to punch their tickets to a first-ever semifinal.
Finally, in Group K, England will lock horns with Serbia once again after Jude Bellginham’s solitary goal separated the two sides at the recent European Championships.
Three Longest European World Cup Qualification Droughts
Source: Unsplash
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But while those three are dreaming of glory, certain European sides would just love to qualify. Here are the longest ongoing World Cup droughts on the continent.
Top 3 Longest European World Cup Qualification Droughts
Israel
Israel’s only World Cup appearance came back in 1970 when they qualified for the tournament in Mexico. Back then, the country was part of the Asian and Oceanic qualifying process and qualified after finishing ahead of New Zealand and Australia. Later on, they were moved to UEFA due to political tensions.
Their initial foray onto the global stage ended in the group stage. After being drawn alongside two former champions, Italy and Uruguay, their chances of progression were slim to none. But despite that, the Israelis gave a great account of themselves, picking up two draws against the Azzurri and Sweden.
Since then, they have faced an uphill battle in their quest to qualify again. Their shift from AFC to UEFA competing against top European nations significantly increased the difficulty level. Teams like Spain, Italy, and England often dominate qualifying groups, leaving limited opportunities for smaller footballing nations.
Despite having star talents like former Liverpool star Yossi Benayoun in the noughties and current Maccabi Tel Aviv man Eran Zahavi in recent years, they have repeatedly fallen short of not just World Cup qualification, but also the European Championships as well. The closest they have come to qualifying came back in 2010 when they lost just two games out of ten and scored 20 goals. But unfortunately, they still finished three points behind group runners-up Greece, with winners Switzerland a point further ahead.
Hungary
Hungary’s football history is legendary. Ferenc Puskás’ Mighty Magyars revolutionized world football in the 1950s, even reaching the World Cup final in 1954 in addition to the one they had played in 16 years prior. They used to be a mainstay at the greatest show on earth, qualifying for nine of the first 13 installments of the tournament, but that run came to an end in 1986 and they have been without an appearance since.
That particular tournament marked the end of an era as Hungarians exited the tournament in the group stage following drubbings at the hands of the Soviet Union and France. The years that followed witnessed a rapid decline in the national program. Limited investment in youth development, outdated coaching philosophies, and a weakened domestic league eroded Hungary’s competitiveness in Europe.
In recent times, however, hope has been reignited. The Magyars have twice climbed their way into the top division of the Nations League. In addition to that, they have also qualified for each of the last three European Championships, even reaching the second round in 2016 before losing to Belgium. Young talents like Liverpool sensation Dominik Szoboszlai are leading a resurgence, and with victories against Germany and England under their belt over the last two years, there is hope that the end of their World Cup drought isn’t too far away.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is another side that has made regular World Cup appearances. Their golden era under Billy Bingham brought World Cup appearances in 1958, 1982, and 1986, and the future appeared bright. They managed to make it out of the group stage in the former two of those forays before a tough group alongside Brazil and Spain saw them suffer an early elimination in the latter. What has followed since then however has been a prolonged dry spell.
The challenges have been multifaceted. Northern Ireland’s small player pool and competition from neighboring footballing giants England often made qualification a steep challenge. Add to that the fact that every Northern Irish player is eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland, and it’s clear to see why they struggle. James McClean, Darron Gibson, and Shane Duffy were all Ireland regulars who were born north of the border but all opted to play for the republic.
But the Irish have consistently punched above their weight. They qualified for the European Championships back in 2016 and made it to the second round thanks to a stunning 2-0 victory against Ukraine. Two years later, they very nearly qualified for the World Cup, finishing as group runners-up to Germany and securing a playoff spot. Controversial refereeing decisions in their two-legged contest against Switzerland, however, dashed their hopes, and they ultimately slipped to a 1-0 aggregate defeat.
