Nigeria, June 7 -- With just four days to the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, excitement is building across the globe as football's biggest spectacle prepares to kick off in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

This year's tournament is historic for several reasons. For the first time, the FIFA World Cup will feature 48 teams instead of 32, creating more opportunities for countries that had previously watched the competition from afar.

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the host nation was the only debutant. Four years later, the expanded format has opened the door for four countries to make their first-ever appearance on football's biggest stage.

For Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan, qualification is already a victory. But e...