All eyes have been on the World Cup 2026 qualifiers over the past week and in Europe there have been some eye-catching results.
While European Champions Spain have made an electric start to their campaign, there has been plenty of drama elsewhere, with goals and upsets on the menu, in some unexpected places. Let’s take a look at a handful of the results from the weekend and what they might mean for those nations as the finals, to be held in the USA, Canada and Mexico, draw ever nearer.
Spain is the nation to beat
Over in South America Lionel Messi’s Argentina have proved themselves to be the best of the CONMEBOL nations, leading the table by ten points and qualifying in spectacular style. The SBOTOP World Cup 2026 betting odds back the 2022 champions to be one the serious contenders, alongside Brazil. Over in Europe, while England and particularly France will be nations to watch, Spain are the team everyone is trying to match.
After beating Bulgaria at a canter, winning 3-0, Spain met up with Turkey and promptly handed out a 6-0 thrashing, as Arsenal’s Mikel Merino scored a hat-trick, Barcelona’s Pedri bagged a brace and his club-mate Ferran Torres rounded off the scoring. Turkey are La Roja’s main rivals in Group E but the way they were dismantled was testament to the overall excellence of La Roja. Two games in, six points in the bag and with a +9 goal difference Spain are still the top dogs…certainly in Europe.
Stuttering start for Germany
Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany are one of the European nations hoping to challenge seriously for the World Cup next year. But, since winning the 2014 tournament the Germans crashed out at the group stage in 2018 and 2022 and they have been in poor form since June this year, losing in the Nations League to Portugal and France and they were beaten by Slovakia in their World Cup opener. Goals from David Hancko and David Strelec won the points in Brataslavia for Slovakia who followed that up with a victory over Luxembourg.
And in Germany’s second game, against Northern Ireland, an early Serge Gnabry goal was cancelled out by a stunning strike from Isaac Price to take the sides into the break at 1-1. But quick-fire goals from Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz and substitute Nadiem Amiri gave Nagelmann a first win in five games and something to work with.
But, as things stand, Germany are miles behind Spain, and sitting third in Group A.
Italy and Israel in the Match of the Week
Of all the World Cup 2026 results this week the most stunning came in Hungary, where Gennaro Gattuso’s Italy leapfrogged Israel to go second in Group I, and three points behind leaders Norway, after a late Sandro Tonali goal meant the Azzurri edged a nine goal thriller against the Israelis. A Manuel Locatelli own goal gave Israel an early lead but Moise Kean levelled before the break. Dor Peretz restored Israel’s lead but then a second from Kean and a strike from Matteo Politano gave Italy the edge. It looked to be all plain sailing for Gattuso’s men when Giacomo Raspadori made it 4-2 after a sweeping move.
But, with three minutes left on the clock all hell broke loose when Alessandro Bastoni shinned an attempted clearance into his own net and, two minutes later Peretz scored his second to level at 4-4. The Israel fans thought they’d collected a valuable point, but Tonali had other ideas, and though his ball into the box was more in hope than expectation his shot went through a sea of legs and nestled in the net.
Tensions were understandably fraught at the final whistle and Gattuso had angry words with an Israeli player as a melee kicked off, as wild celebrations kicked off in the Italy end.
Group C is tough to call
Another fascinating battle is developing in Group C, with a three way tussle between Denmark, Scotland and Greece bubbling up. The FIFA rankings rate the Danes as the best team at 21st in the world list, with Greece 39th and Scotland 47th. But a 0-0 draw at home to the Scots in their opener opened the door for Denmark’s rivals. Scotland have a habit of messing things up after an encouraging result but they delivered on Monday with a 2-0 win away to Belarus; who had already been battered 5-1 by the Greeks.
Denmark then went on to win 3-0 in Greece to exert some authority, with goals from Mikkel Damsgaard, Rasmus Hojlund and Andreas Christensen, to leave just one point separating the three nations.
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