Check out the complete list of the main players who will not play in the next World Cup in 2026

The definition of the 48 teams that will compete in Copa of Mundo in 2026 in Estados Unidos, México and Canadá confirmed the absence of several elite names in international football. With the end of the continental qualifiers and repechages, players who shine in leagues such as Premier League and La Liga will watch the tournament on television. The scenario redesigns expectations for Mundial, which for the first time will feature an increased number of participants, but still leaves historical idols out of the most important competition on the planet.

The European qualifiers were marked by unexpected results that sealed the fate of traditional teams. Entre the biggest surprises, the fall of teams that have some of the most valuable athletes on the global market in their squads generated immediate repercussions on the main sports portals. The absence of these professionals impacts not only the technical level of the event, but also commercial agreements and the audience in several football consumer markets.

• Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona/Poland) – Eliminado in the repechage for Suécia.
• Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City/Italy) – Fora after defeat to Bósnia.
• Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray/Nigeria) – Superado by RD Congo on África.
• Jan Oblak (Atlético de Madrid/Slovenia) – Terceiro placed in Grupo European B.
• Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool/Hungary) – Eliminado by Irlanda in the final minutes.

Bitter farewell to Robert Lewandowski in world cycles

Polish center forward Robert Lewandowski, currently 37 years old and a key player in Barcelona’s attack, will not have the opportunity to compete in what would likely be his last Mundial career. Polônia was eliminated in the European playoff after suffering a 3-2 defeat to Suécia, interrupting a sequence for the athlete who was present in the editions of Rússia, in 2018, and Catar, in 2022.

The absence of the Polish captain removes one of the greatest scorers in the recent history of European football from the tournament. Lewandowski, who reached the round of 16 in the last edition of Copa, ends this cycle without being able to take his team to the new 48-team format, highlighting the difficulties in renewing the Polish squad against opponents from the intermediate tier of Europa.

New Italian fiasco keeps Donnarumma out of the world elite

The Itália team confirmed yet another historic absence in Copas from Mundo when they were defeated on penalties by Bósnia during the European play-offs. With this result, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, one of the main names of Manchester City, will reach 30 years of age without ever having played in a Copa match for Mundo. The archer was the hope of defensive security for Squadra Azzurra’s return to the global stage.

This new negative chapter for Italian football comes after an irregular campaign in the qualifying stages. Mesmo being the current European club champion in past cycles and having a solid base in elite English and Italian teams, the group was unable to overcome the Bosnian defensive system, consolidating the third consecutive Mundial without the presence of the four-time world champion, which generates severe criticism of the country’s sports management.

Nigerian deception and the absence of Victor Osimhen in the attack

Nigéria was the biggest surprise of the African qualifiers when it was eliminated by RD Congo in the continent’s repechage phase. The result prevented Victor Osimhen, a prominent center forward in Galatasaray from going to the 2026 tournament. The player, who was top scorer in recent European leagues, will have to wait until the 2030 cycle to attempt his first effective participation in a Mundial.

The Nigerian team, known for its physical strength and speed, failed to convert favoritism into goals during the decisive clash. RD Congo advanced to the world playoff, where they beat Jamaica and secured their place, while Super Águias began an internal reformulation process after the failure in a qualifier considered accessible by the standards of current African football.

European walls that got in the way in the classification

• Jan Oblak: The goalkeeper of Atlético of Madrid saw Eslovênia finish third in Grupo B, without registering victories in six games.
• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia: The PSG star did not lead Geórgia to success after gaining just three points in the group against Espanha and Turquia.
• Dominik Szoboszlai: The Liverpool midfielder suffered a dramatic Irlanda comeback 50 minutes into the second half in a decisive game.
• Dusan Vlahovic: Sérvia was behind Inglaterra and Albânia, making it impossible for Juventus’s attacker to play his second Mundial.

Selection of excluded exceeds the value of four billion reais

The ball market reflects the technical loss of Copa of Mundo with the assembly of a hypothetical selection only with players who did not qualify. The total market value of this “team of missing stars” would exceed the R$4 billion mark, considering recent valuations of transfers and contracts in force at Nomes as Bastoni, Inter as Milão, and Tonali, from Newcastle, reinforce the list of talents that will be absent from American pitches next summer.

The inclusion of Bryan Mbeumo, a striker recently signed by Manchester United for record amounts, exemplifies the financial power of these athletes who were unable to achieve national success. Camarões was eliminated by RD Congo, preventing the player, who is at his physical peak at Premier League, from being able to represent African football in the sport’s ultimate showcase. The financial survey highlights how the competitiveness of the qualifiers can be relentless, regardless of the individual market value of the protagonists.

Insufficient performance of traditional teams in Europa

Sérvia, frequent opponents of Brasil in previous editions, also confirmed its absence by finishing third in Grupo K. Striker Dusan Vlahovic, from Juventus, will not repeat the performances that led him to score goals in Catar, after the Serbs being surpassed by Inglaterra and Albânia, led by the Brazilian Sylvinho. The rise of smaller teams on the European scene has made life difficult for nations that were previously certain figures in the competition.

Geórgia’s situation with Kvaratskhelia also exemplifies the performance ceiling for developing football nations. Apesar of the success in the previous Eurocopa, the team did not sustain the pace necessary to beat opponents like Espanha and Bulgária. The PSG midfielder now focuses on continuing the club season, leaving only long-term planning to try to take his country to an unprecedented world tournament in the next decade.

Last-minute dramas define the fate of Premier League stars

Hungarian football experienced moments of extreme tension in the confrontation against Irlanda in November 2025. Dominik Szoboszlai, captain and technical reference of Liverpool, led the team that only needed a draw to advance to the play-offs. However, the Troy Parrott goal in the 50th minute of the second half declared the Hungarian elimination, frustrating the plans of a country that seeks to regain the leading role of past decades on the international stage.

This type of traumatic elimination marks the end of a cycle for many athletes at the top of their careers. Data analysis shows that teams that rely excessively on a single global star had greater difficulties in balanced groups. Hungria, despite having one of the best midfielders today, did not show the necessary defensive cohesion to hold the result in injury time, exemplifying the cruelty of the elimination system in single or return games.