2026 World Cup Qualifiers: France and England Book Their Tickets — All the Results of the Day

On November 13, the penultimate round of the 2026 World Cup (USA, Canada, Mexico) qualifying campaign featured matches in four different groups. Some teams have already secured their places in the final tournament, while in others the battle will continue into the last round. Below is a full breakdown of the results and standings.

Group D: France Qualifies, Ukraine and Iceland to Play a Direct Final

Results of the day:

• Azerbaijan 0–2 Iceland

• France 4–0 Ukraine

France secured direct qualification for the World Cup with a dominant win over Ukraine. The decisive moment came early in the second half: Mbappé opened the scoring with an elegant Panenka, and his involvement in several more attacking sequences turned the victory into a rout. Iceland expectedly claimed three points in Azerbaijan and drew level with Ukraine in the standings.

Standings:

1. France — 13

2. Iceland — 7

3. Ukraine — 7

4. Azerbaijan — 1

The key intrigue lies in the final match between Iceland and Ukraine. Iceland only needs a draw thanks to a superior goal difference. Ukraine must win to reach the playoffs.

Group F: Total Chaos — Everything Will Be Decided in the Last Two Matches

Results of the day:

• Armenia 0–1 Hungary

• Ireland 2–0 Portugal

Group F remains the most nerve-wracking. Portugal could have secured World Cup qualification in Dublin but suffered a shocking 0–2 defeat — Troy Parrott scored a brace, and Ronaldo was sent off. Hungary earned a crucial win in Yerevan and kept their chances of finishing first alive.

Standings:

1. Portugal — 10

2. Hungary — 8

3. Ireland — 7

4. Armenia — 3

Key scenarios for the final round:

• If Portugal beats Armenia, they qualify directly for the World Cup.

• If Portugal loses and Hungary wins, Hungary moves to first place.

• Hungary vs. Ireland will decide a playoff spot:

  • Ireland must win.

  • Hungary is fine with a win or a draw.

Group I: Norway Almost Through, Italy Headed for the Playoffs

Results of the day:

• Norway 4–1 Estonia

• Moldova 0–2 Italy

Norway put on an attacking show: Sørloth and Haaland both scored braces within 12 minutes. Haaland increased his tally to 14 goals in the qualifiers — the runaway top scorer. Italy earned a hard-fought win in Chișinău, but the three-point gap ahead of their decisive match against Norway looks almost impossible to overcome.

Standings:

1. Norway — 21

2. Italy — 18

3. Israel — 9

4. Estonia — 4

5. Moldova — 1

For Italy to overtake Norway, they must win the last match by at least nine goals — practically impossible.

Thus:

• Norway has all but secured direct qualification.

• Italy is set for the playoffs.

Group K: England Qualify, Albania to the Playoffs — No Intrigue Left

Results of the day:

• Andorra 0–1 Albania

• England 2–0 Serbia

England completed a perfect qualifying cycle with another solid win: Saka and Eze scored important goals, while Serbia lost all chances for second place. Albania earned a professional victory in Andorra and secured second place ahead of schedule.

Standings:

1. England — 21

2. Albania — 14

3. Serbia — 10

4. Latvia — 5

5. Andorra — 1

The final round in this group has no competitive significance — all positions are already determined.

Main Takeaways of the Day

• France and England officially qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

• Albania and Italy secure playoff spots.

• Groups D and F will be decided in head-to-head finals in the last round.

• Norway is one step away from a direct spot; Italy needs a miracle scoreline.

• The day delivered several surprises, the biggest being Portugal’s defeat in Dublin.

African Qualifying Playoff Matches — November 13

• Nigeria defeated Gabon 4–1.
  Three of Nigeria’s goals came in extra time, with Victor Osimhen scoring twice.

• DR Congo beat Cameroon 1–0.
  The only goal was scored by Cancel Mbemba in the 91st minute.
  Notably, DR Congo’s goalkeeper is Timothée Fayulu from the Armenian club Noah.

Nigeria and DR Congo will face each other in the final on November 16.