England's journey to the 2026 World Cup may only just have started, with Thomas Tuchel's side kicking off their qualifying campaign with routine victories against Albania and Latvia, but seven nations are now confirmed for next year's tournament.
Holders Argentina booked their place with a 4-1 thumping over old rivals Brazil, looking hugely impressive even without Lionel Messi and sending a message that they will not be giving up their crown lightly..
Although the bloated 48-team format means Brazil should still be making the journey north next year, humiliation at the hands of their great enemies meant the end of the road for coach Dorival Junior who was sacked shortly after the game.
In Asia both Japan and Iran continued their excellent recent record in qualification to earn their spots while New Zealand eased to victory in the Oceania qualifiers and, again with the expanded tournament playing a part, no longer have to worry about a play-off and can plan ahead to Canada, Mexico and the United States in 2026.
