India, March 26 -- The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first of its kind, a 48-team royal rumble in North America, the biggest the tournament has ever been in its history. 39 teams, ranging from the tiny first-timers Curacao all the way to five-time champion juggernauts Brazil, will begin booking their airplane tickets to join the trio of hosts USA, Canada, and Mexico later this year.

22 teams remain in with a chance of making it to the World Cup Finals this summer, but only six spots remain on offer. This fortnight, those teams will fight it out to see who will get the chance to play on the grandest stage.

Here is a breakdown of what to expect in this international break, where four slots will be decided in the final UEFA qualifying round, ...