"The draw for the 2026 Fifa World Cup will be held in Washington DC next week (5 December), and while supporters of teams that qualified will be anxious to know who they will play, most of the world's population will not be represented. China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan - five of the planet's six most populous countries - have all missed out on the tournament co-hosted by the Canada, Mexico and the United States next June and July."
"With only 155,000 inhabitants and 444 sq km of territory, Curacao is the smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup, in terms of both population and size. Most of the inhabitants of the Caribbean island, located just 60km off the Venezuelan coast, could fit in the venue for the final, the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (capacity 82,500)."
The draw for the 2026 Fifa World Cup will be held in Washington DC on 5 December. China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan — five of the planet's six most populous countries — failed to qualify for the tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. Of 209 starting nations, only 64 still have a chance, and play-offs in March will reduce that to 48 finalists. Many fans will be unrepresented, prompting suggestions to support underdog teams. Curaçao, with 155,000 inhabitants and 444 sq km, is the smallest nation ever to qualify. Curaçao's coach Dick Advocaat, 78, will be the oldest World Cup coach. Cape Verde secured qualification after beating Eswatini 3-0.
Read at www.bbc.com
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