India, April 1 -- The expanded FIFA World Cup 2026 was meant to open the doors for more countries, but the qualification campaign has also left out some big names. One of the biggest talking points is the absence of traditional powerhouses like Italy national football team and consistent European contenders like Denmark national football team.

One of the most shocking stories from the qualifiers is Italy's failure. The four-time world champions have now missed three World Cups in a row (2018, 2022 and 2026), underlining a worrying decline in their international performances. Their latest heartbreak came in the playoffs, where they were eliminated after a penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team.

For a nat...