Croatia has officially secured its place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the Netherlands are on the verge of qualification. Germany's fate, however, hangs in the balance.

Croatia booked their ticket with a 3-1 victory over the Faroe Islands. Despite an early setback with a deflected goal from Geza David Turi in the 16th minute, Croatia responded swiftly. Joško Gvardiol leveled the score in the 23rd minute, followed by goals from Petar Musa and Nikola Vlašić to seal the win. This victory ensures Croatia's spot as the winner of Group L. "Our goal was achieved with a game to spare in the qualifiers. We can proudly say we've qualified,” Gvardiol said. Croatia has now qualified for 7 out of the last 8 World Cups since becoming an independent nation.

The Netherlands are close to securing their qualification after drawing with Poland. They currently lead Group G with a three-point lead over Poland and a significantly better goal difference. To qualify directly, the Netherlands needed to avoid defeat against Poland, which they did, and now a final match against Lithuania remains. Coach Ronald Koeman emphasized the importance of finishing first in the group. Even if they fall short, the Netherlands are still in a strong position to qualify via the play-off path as group runners-up.

Germany's situation is more precarious. Despite a 2-0 victory over Luxembourg, their qualification hopes hinge on their final Group A match against Slovakia. A win or a draw against Slovakia will secure their place in the World Cup. However, a defeat would mean they would have to go through the play-offs. Germany and Slovakia are currently level on points, but Germany's superior goal difference means that a draw is enough to secure the top spot. Julian Nagelsmann's team needs to avoid defeat to qualify directly.

The qualification journey has been filled with surprises and challenges. The Faroe Islands, despite their loss to Croatia, demonstrated their growing strength by taking the lead against the 2018 World Cup finalists. Similarly, other underdogs have posed challenges to higher-ranked teams throughout the qualifiers.

As the European Qualifiers approach their conclusion, several other teams are vying for a place in the 2026 World Cup. The play-offs will offer a second chance for those who missed out on direct qualification. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, promises to be a global spectacle.