This international break saw UEFA teams kick off their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaigns under a somewhat complex format following the World Cup expansion.
Six groups have most teams already playing four or five matches, while others have only completed two games, with some groups beginning to look settled after the September international window.
### 11-1 Rout Keeps Norway Perfect After Five
The story of the campaign so far is **Norway**, a team on fire with eight consecutive wins and a perfect 5-0 start in qualifying. Manchester City’s Erling Haaland scored five goals in an 11-1 record-setting rout of Moldova. Alongside captain Martin Odegaard (Arsenal) and Alexander Sorloth (Atletico Madrid), Norway looks poised for its first World Cup since 1998 after missing out in 2018 and 2022. Having failed to reach a European Championship group stage since 2000, this historically underachieving side suddenly looks capable of advancing past the 2026 World Cup group stage. Norway sits six points clear of Italy, with three games left, including a November finale in Milan against the Azzurri.
### Tuchel’s England Perfect After Five
Life is sweet for Thomas Tuchel’s **England**, one of the favorites to lift the 2026 trophy. Harry Kane and his world-famous teammates are 5-0 with 13 goals scored and none conceded. Their 5-0 demolition of Serbia in Belgrade highlights a weak group, though Serbia and Albania remain competitive for second place with seven and eight points, respectively. A showdown between Albania and Serbia will determine second place in all likelihood.
### 2018 Finalist Croatia Well-Positioned To Qualify
**Croatia** are on course for qualification with a 4-0 record. The Czech Republic also sits on 12 points after five games, but the real star remains 40-year-old Luka Modric (AC Milan), captain of a side that crushed the Czechs 5-1 in June.
### European Giants Portugal, Spain, and France Flying High
If there was any doubt about the contenders for 2026, **Portugal**, **Spain**, and **France** have erased it. Cristiano Ronaldo continues his legendary [statline rivalry](https://sports.yahoo.com/article/ronaldo-equals-goal-record-portugal-215539946.html) with Lionel Messi, scoring for Portugal, putting them three points clear of Armenia. World Cup favorites and European Champions Spain demolished Turkey 6-0, scoring nine goals in two games, and conceding none, led by young talents like Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid), Pedri and Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), and Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao). France began with perfection, six points ahead of Iceland, showcasing a squad deep enough that even second-choice players could reach the World Cup knockout stage.
### Italy and Germany Face Early Struggles
Not everyone is cruising. **Germany** sit third in their group after two games, trailing Slovakia (6 points) and Northern Ireland (3). Three losses in their last four competitive fixtures, including a stunning 2-0 defeat to Slovakia, have exposed cracks. Stars like Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz have struggled to find rhythm, while this largely Bundesliga based squad feels unlucky.
**Italy** also faces a tense road to qualification. Tied on points with Israel (9) after four games, the Azzurri survived a thriller against the same side, winning 5-4 thanks to Sandro Tonali’s stoppage-time strike, after Israel had scored twice in the final minutes. With Norway leading their group, Italy may still face a tough playoff path.
### Other European Stories
**Switzerland** started efficiently with 7 goals scored and none conceded in two games. Sweden sit third on one point. Denmark and Scotland have four points each in a competitive Group C. Georgia and Turkey appear set to contest second place in Group E, while Bosnia and Austria share 12 points in Group H, though Austria has played only four games.
**North Macedonia** is off to a sensational start in Group J with 11 points after five games. **Belgium** and Wales trail closely with 10 points each. Belgium scored 12 goals without conceding and edged Wales 4-3 in June, while Kevin de Bruyne (Napoli) added a spectacular goal to the tally. North Macedonia holds a slim advantage thanks to a home draw in June.
### Memphis Depay Sets Dutch Scoring Record
Finally, **Memphis Depay** set the all-time goalscoring record for the **Netherlands** during this window. After four games, the Oranje sit on 10 points, tied with Poland (10 points in five games) in Group G. Matty Cash helped Poland secure a draw in their matchup. Depay, at 31, has 52 goals in 104 appearances, leading a side that has looked inconsistent at times under a middling Ronald Keoman, but remains favorites to progress to the World Cup.
Main Photo Credit: Imago Images Copyright: xCorneliusxPoppex