The FIFA World Cup is, without question, soccer’s biggest stage, but there will be a few notable names missing out on the tournament this summer.
Qualification for the North American festivities drew to a close towards the end of 2025, with only the six final spots up for grabs during the playoffs.
Of course, there will be superstars on show in abundance, with legacies bound to be defined, carved, hindered and cultivated, such is the significance of the World Cup.
It’s an event you really don’t want to miss, and despite FIFA’s expansionist ideals, less than a quarter of the governing body’s member associations will be involved in North America. Plenty will be absent, including some high-profile stars.
Here are the best players who won’t feature at the 2026 World Cup.
Dominik Szoboszlai
Hungary have been a plucky opponent under Italian manager Marco Rossi, and they looked set to at least earn a playoff berth in UEFA’s qualifying process heading into last November’s break.
Their hopes were emboldened by a slender win over Armenia, with the Republic of Ireland visiting Budapest requiring a rare away victory to usurp their hosts. Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai once again donned the Hungarian armband and looked a cut above, with Rossi’s men taking 1–0 and 2–1 leads in the first half.
A point was enough for Szoboszlai’s side, but Troy Parrott, the former Tottenham Hotspur striker now plying his trade in the Netherlands, scored twice inside the final ten minutes to secure one of the all-time great Irish triumphs. They headed to the playoffs at Hungary’s expense (losing to Czechia in the semifinal of their pathway), with Szoboszlai, a standout performer for Liverpool despite their woes this season, watching from home.
His nation still haven’t qualified for the World Cup since 1986.
Benjamin Sesko
We saw Benjamin Šeško on the international stage with Slovenia at Euro 2024, with his tournament defined by his failed one-on-one attempt to potentially stun Portugal in the round of 16.
World Cup qualifying was miserable for the raw Manchester United forward, with Slovenia eliminated from contention after losing 2–0 at home to Kosovo on the penultimate matchday.
There will be plenty more opportunities for Šeško to represent his country at the World Cup, but he’s not yet shown himself to be a striker who can inspire his team as an individual.
Bryan Mbeumo
It was a disappointing break for Manchester United forwards last November, as Cameroon’s hopes of making the World Cup were dashed by the DR Congo.
Bryan Mbeumo’s side were given a lifeline despite finishing second in their qualifying group. As one of the four best-performing runners-up, they progressed into the playoff round but were beaten in their semifinal. DR Congo subsequently went on to beat Nigeria on penalties in the final, which means they’ll be involved in the inter-continental playoffs.
At least Mbeumo has already played for Cameroon on the grand stage. The winger played three times in Qatar, with the African side succumbing in the group. They were, however, involved in one of the games of the 2022 World Cup, drawing 3–3 with Serbia.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Willy Sagnol’s Georgia were one of the stories of Euro 2024, with their impressive defensive discipline complemented by a pair of mavericks in attack.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia led the way in Germany, and the dynamite winger enjoyed a standout conclusion to the 2024–25 campaign, helping PSG to Champions League glory.
However, ’Kvaradona’, as he became known thanks to his exploits in Naples, won’t be lighting up the North American stage this summer. Georgia were outmatched in their qualifying group, with Spain leading the way and Türkiye crucially beating them twice.
Victor Osimhen
FIFA’s fifth-highest ranked African nation won’t be at the 2026 World Cup after losing to the DR Congo on penalties in the CAF playoff final.
Qualifying was a mess from start to finish, with managerial changes and boycotts breeding instability. They scraped into the playoffs after finishing behind South Africa in their qualifying group, a major underachievement in itself.
This Nigeria squad isn’t shy of talent, with striker Victor Osimhen the leading light. He may currently be plying his trade outside of Europe’s premier divisions, but he remains one of the continent’s finest centre-forwards.
With the Super Eagles also missing out in 2022, Osimhen will be 31 by the time he potentially makes his World Cup debut in 2030.
Serhou Guirassy
Guinea have never played at the World Cup and 2026 will be no different. Even the sharpshooting of Borussia Dortmund striker Sehou Guirassy couldn’t fire them to the tournament, with Guinea finishing fourth in their qualifying group despite a respectable 15-point haul.
Guirassy’s physicality will be absent at the World Cup, the Dortmund forward’s supreme aerial ability and general power having lit up the Champions League and Bundesliga in recent seasons. He was the joint-top scorer in the former during 2024–25 and only finished behind Harry Kane in the latter.
The ex-Stuttgart man, who played for France’s youth teams, was only able to muster a single goal in qualifying, however, and hasn’t been anywhere near as prolific on the international stage as he has in Germany.
Jan Oblak
A winless qualifying campaign meant Slovenia didn’t stand much of a chance of making it to their first World Cup since 2010, although Sweden finished below them in Group B and earned a playoff berth courtesy of their UEFA Nations League performance.
Slovenia’s absence this summer means one of the finest goalkeepers of his generation, Jan Oblak, may go his entire career without ever playing on soccer’s grandest stage.
He’ll be 37 by the time the next tournament rolls around in 2030, and while plenty of shot-stoppers have appeared at the World Cup well into their twilight, there have been signs of Oblak’s once freakish consistency dissipating somewhat in recent years.
Still, as long as he’s still around, Oblak will surely remain Slovenia’s No. 1 for the next World Cup cycle.
