Spain seal World Cup place after Turkey draw
Spain secured their place at the 2026 World Cup after a nervy 2-2 draw with Turkey in Seville on Tuesday, finishing unbeaten at the top of Group E despite being given a genuine scare by their resilient visitors.
The European champions took an early lead through Dani Olmo in the fourth minute but Turkey, who needed an almost impossible seven-goal victory to claim the group, managed to equalise through Deniz Gul in the 42nd minute.
Turkey then stunned the home crowd by taking the lead in the 54th minute thanks to a Salih Ozcan strike from the edge of the box.
However, Mikel Oyarzabal levelled the match eight minutes later to avoid what would have been Spain's first home defeat in a qualifier and Turkey had to settle for a place in the playoffs for next year's finals in North America.
"We didn't celebrate as euphorically as we would have liked. We wanted to finish with another win and another clean sheet. It's a bittersweet feeling... But we're happy to have qualified for the World Cup," Olmo told TVE.
"They've created chances and so have we. We could have scored a few more goals. We need to improve on set pieces. We're keen, but first there's the next international break in March. There'll be time to prepare."
Spain began brightly despite the absence of key players such as Lamine Yamal, Rodri, Dani Carvajal, Pedri, and Dean Huijsen.
They took the lead in the fourth minute after Marc Cucurella delivered a low cross from the left flank, which Fabian Ruiz dummied, allowing Olmo to manoeuvre past a defender before driving the ball into the net.
Spain almost added to their advantage with Olmo testing Turkish goalkeeper Altay Bayindir twice in quick succession from the edge of the box.
Turkey, who had barely threatened, woke up in the 42nd minute. Baris Alper Yilmaz outmuscled Aymeric Laporte to flick on a corner, with Gul ghosting past the Spanish defence to slide the ball beyond Unai Simon.
It was the first goal Spain had conceded in their World Cup qualifying campaign.
After the break, Vincenzo Montella's Turkey grew in confidence and took the lead in the 55th minute when Ozcan scored with a precise low finish from the edge of the box, capping off an intricate team move to give Turkey a 2-1 lead.
Spain equalised through Oyarzabal after Yeremy Pino's run down the left ended with a clearance off the goal line by a Turkish defender. The Real Sociedad forward pounced on the rebound, burying it into the back of the net.
The draw extended Spain's unbeaten streak to 31 matches.
The 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States will mark Spain's 17th appearance in the tournament, continuing an unbroken streak of qualification that began in 1978. Their sole triumph came in 2010, when they lifted the trophy in South Africa.
Belgium thrash Liechtenstein to book berth at World Cup
Belgium hammered Liechtenstein 7-0 on Tuesday to confirm their berth at next year's World Cup, finishing their campaign unbeaten.
A fifth victory in eight games gave Belgium a total of 18 points at the top of Group J, two more than runners-up Wales, and earned them a place at next year’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the US.
Jeremy Doku and Charles De Ketelaere both scored twice and there were goals for Hans Vanaken, Brandon Mechele and Alexis Saelemaekers with the home side netting four times in a furious seven-minute, second-half spell.
Belgium will be competing at their 15th World Cup finals, having twice reached the semis.
Belgium got off to the quick start that coach Rudi Garcia had asked of them with Vanaken heading home from a cross from captain Youri Tielemans after 150 seconds at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne.
"We wanted to get the crowd behind us quickly," said Vanaken.
But it took another 32 minutes for Belgium to add a second as Saelemaekers dragged the ball back from the byline to an unmarked Doku on the penalty spot to finish.
Doku put Belgium 3-0 up in the 41st minute as an errant clearance found him just outside the box, and he then dribbled his way past three defenders before finishing with aplomb.
Tielemans' flick-on in the 52nd minute allowed Mechele to stick out his foot and guide it into the net for a fourth and three minutes later Tielemans' shot was saved by Liechtenstein goalkeeper Benjamin Buchel only for Saelemaekers to pounce on the rebound.
Then De Ketelaere scored a quick-fire double in the 57th and 59th minutes, the first set up by Doku and the second by fullback Thomas Meunier.
"It was a beautiful evening and just great fun to play here," added De Ketelaere. "You could feel that from the start. The national anthem that resounded here was the best I've ever experienced."
Belgium had been criticised after failing to secure qualification on Saturday away at Kazakhstan, who held them to a 1-1 draw, but Tuesday’s result removed that disappointment.
Liechtenstein finished the campaign without scoring -- the only side in the European qualifiers to do so.
Scotland beat Denmark in thriller to reach World Cup
Scotland reached the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998 in hair-raising fashion as stoppage-time goals by Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean secured a memorable 4-2 victory over Denmark at a rocking Hampden Park on Tuesday.
When Patrick Dorgu equalised for the second time in the 81st minute, it seemed 10-man Denmark would secure the point they needed to top Group C and book their place in the finals while sending Scotland into the playoffs.
But after a rollercoaster qualifying campaign for the Scots, including a 3-2 defeat in Greece on Saturday, the biggest twist was saved to the very end as they sparked the loudest party the city of Glasgow has seen for years.
When the ball came out to substitute Tierney in the third minute of stoppage time, he looked up and curled a superb left-footed shot past a diving Kasper Schmeichel.
The drama was not over though as with Denmark desperately trying to salvage the situation and Schmeichel way out of his goal, McLean launched a shot from the halfway line into the empty net to ensure Scotland's fabled Tartan Army can start booking flights for next year's North American showpiece.
"That just sums up this squad. Never say die. We just keep going right to the end and one of the craziest games," Scotland captain Andy Robertson said. "We put the country through it, but I'm sure it's worth it. We're going to the World Cup."
Denmark, who only needed to avoid defeat to make sure of their third successive World Cup finals appearance, were left crestfallen.
From a position of control in the group they managed only one point from their last two games, including the home draw with Belarus on Saturday, which opened the door for Scotland to seal an automatic place with victory on Tuesday.
The Danes were the better side for most of the night too but must now face last-chance saloon in the playoffs.
"I thought we were pretty rubbish to be honest, but who cares?" Scotland talisman John McGinn said.
Expectancy hung heavy in the night air long before kickoff as Scotland's date with destiny loomed. Despite qualifying for the last two European Championships, the World Cup has proved beyond them since France 1998.
They got a dream start in the third minute when Scott McTominay scored a magical goal for the ages.
Had it not been for what unfolded later, the moment the Napoli midfielder appeared to defy gravity to connect with a Ben Gannon-Doak cross and snap an overhead kick past Schmeichel would have become part of Scottish football folklore.
By the end it was just a blur after an intoxicating night of sporting chaos.
Scotland were full of nerves despite their start and Denmark dominated large chunks of the game with Hojlund having one goal ruled out for a push and wasting several other chances.
It was no surprise when Denmark did level in the 57th minute after Robertson's foul on Gustav Isaksen was adjudged, after a lengthy VAR check, to have been just inside the penalty area and Hojlund made no mistake with an emphatic spot kick.
Minutes later though Scotland got another break as Rasmus Kristensen was harshly shown a second yellow card for a nudge on McGinn.
Even then, Denmark swarmed around Scotland's penalty area looking the more likely winners but it was the hosts who got back in front in the 81st minute when a corner was whipped in and substitute Lawrence Shankland got the decisive touch.
The real drama was only just starting though.
"I woke up this morning, and as a manager you normally wake up with that tight feeling in your stomach," Scotland manager Steve Clarke, who suffered heartbreak against Ukraine in the playoffs for the 2022 World Cup, said.
"I didn't have it this morning and I thought 'wow, that's strange'. I thought there was something wrong with me! But it's because I trust my players so much."
Switzerland seal World Cup place despite Kosovo fightback
Switzerland qualified for next year's World Cup despite being held 1-1 by Kosovo on Tuesday, as Florent Muslija's superb strike cancelled out Ruben Vargas' early second-half goal for the visitors.
Switzerland finished top of Group B with 14 points, completing an unbeaten qualifying campaign. Kosovo secured second place with 11 points and a berth in March's European playoffs, as they chase a first-ever World Cup appearance.
"We didn't play badly, but we knew they had to score six goals (to overtake Switzerland's goal difference). And it's not easy to play against us," Swiss defender Ricardo Rodriguez told SRF Sport.
Switzerland edged the better of a subdued first half, with Michel Aebischer drawing a sharp save from Arijanet Muric after six minutes in one of the few clear sights of goal.
Kosovo rarely threatened but came close just before halftime when Fisnik Asllani unleashed a fierce drive from the edge of the box, only for a Swiss defender to make a vital block.
Vargas finally broke the deadlock 90 seconds after the restart, slipping in behind to meet a through ball from Djibril Sow and beating Kosovo goalkeeper Arijanet Muric with a low finish.
Muric then denied Switzerland a second when Johan Manzambi weaved past two defenders and aimed for the bottom-left corner, only for the Kosovo keeper to read it well and gather comfortably.
Kosovo equalised in the 74th minute through Muslija, who pounced on a loose ball just outside the area and unleashed a superb curling strike into the top-right corner, leaving Gregor Kobel with no chance.
Spurred on by a raucous Pristina City Stadium, the hosts pressed for a late winner, but efforts from Baton Zabergja and Vedat Muriqi were smothered by Kobel and a resolute Swiss backline.
"It was important for us that the Kosovars didn't carry their euphoria into the game," Swiss captain Granit Xhaka said. "We can be proud of ourselves. It's not to be taken for granted that we've qualified for a major tournament eight times in a row. I'm just happy."
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