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Late goals from Gianluca Mancini and Francesco Pio Esposito helped Italy to a 2-0 win away against Moldova on Thursday, keeping alive their faint hopes of automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup with their sixth consecutive victory, Reuters reported.

The result lifted Italy to 18 points, three behind group leaders Norway, who earlier beat Estonia 4-1, with the two sides meeting on the final qualifying matchday on Sunday. The Azzurri now face what looks an impossible task, needing to win and overturn Norway's goal difference of 17.

"I saw an Italy that played well, we were out there and (Moldova) never shot on goal," Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso told Rai. "I am very satisfied, we did what we had to do and gave some of the lads some playing time."

The following is a list of teams that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.

Best performance: Third place (1930)

MEXICO:

Taking part as hosts

Best performance: Quarter-finals (1970, 1986)

CANADA:

Taking part as hosts

Best performance: Group stage (1986, 2022)

JAPAN

Qualified on: March 20

Best performance: Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022)

NEW ZEALAND

Qualified on: March 24

Best performance: Group stage (1982, 2010)

IRAN

Qualified on: March 25

Best performance: Group stage (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022)

ARGENTINA

Qualified on: March 25

Best performance: Winners (1978, 1986, 2022)

UZBEKISTAN

Qualified on: June 5

Best performance: Never previously qualified.

SOUTH KOREA

Qualified on: June 5

Best performance: Fourth place (2002)

JORDAN

Qualified on: June 5

Best performance: Never previously qualified.

AUSTRALIA

Qualified on: June 10

Best performance: Round of 16 (2006, 2022)

BRAZIL

Qualified on: June 10

Best performance: Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)

ECUADOR

Qualified on: June 10

Best performance: Round of 16 (2006)

URUGUAY

Qualified on: September 4

Best performance: Winners (1930, 1950)

COLOMBIA

Qualified on: September 4

Best performance: Quarter-finals (2014)

PARAGUAY

Qualified on: September 4

Best performance: Quarter-finals (2010)

MOROCCO

Qualified on: September 5

Best performance: Semi-finals (2022)

TUNISIA

Qualified on: September 8

Best performance: Group Stage (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022)

EGYPT

Qualified on: October 8

Best performance: Round of 16 (1934)

ALGERIA

Qualified on: October 9

Best performance: Round of 16 (2014)

GHANA

Qualified on: October 12

Best performance: Quarter-finals (2010)

CAPE VERDE

Qualified on: October 13

Best performance: Never previously qualified

SOUTH AFRICA

Qualified on: October 14

Best performance: Group stage (1998, 2002, 2010)

QATAR

Qualified on: October 14

Best performance: Group stage (2022)

ENGLAND

Qualified on: October 14

Best performance: Winners (1966)

SAUDI ARABIA

Qualified on: October 14

Best performance: Round of 16 (1994)

IVORY COAST

Qualified on: October 14

Best performance: Group stage (2006, 2010, 2014)

France kept celebrations restrained after qualifying for the 2026 World Cup with a 4-0 win over Ukraine on Thursday, with captain Kylian Mbappe saying the emotional weight of the evening — the 10th anniversary of the November 13, 2015 attacks — mattered more than the result, Reuters reported.

Coach Didier Deschamps also underlined that reaching the finals was simply where Les Bleus are expected to be.

Mbappe, who scored twice and put France in control with a penalty, said: “Very proud to be there, even if it wasn’t the most important thing of the evening — the most important part was the commemoration.”

Two brothers who posed as stewards to sneak into a sold-out football match have been banned from attending games for three years, Reuters reported.

Kane and Dale Green, 29 and 31 respectively, were caught less than an hour before the Southampton-Portsmouth south coast derby kicked off in September. 

The Pompey supporting pair arrived at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton for the match - the first league meeting between the rivals for 13 years - wearing hi-vis vests and carrying radio equipment to blend in with staff, according to Reuters.