Qatar 2022 is almost here, so HITC Football has looked at which countries have the longest droughts since their last World Cup. Scotland and Northern Ireland are two of the worst 13.
This winter’s edition will see Qatar make their debut at the finals, having never previously qualified for the event. The Maroon earned an automatic place in the group stage for the 22nd edition of the FIFA tournament after winning the right to host the event back in 2010.
Qatar are the only nation making their debut appearance at the World Cup in 2022. Wales, meanwhile, ended their 64-year wait to feature on the global stage again. Gareth Bale put Cymru through to the group stage with a 1-0 win over Ukraine in June in a UEFA play-off.
Wales ended a 64-year wait but Scotland’s World Cup drought continues
Wales had only appeared at one World Cup preceding their place at the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Cymru made their debut at the finals of the FIFA event in 1958 and enjoyed a run to the quarter-finals. They will now join Home Nations rival England in Group B this winter.
Scotland came within a game of making it to Qatar but lost 3-1 to Ukraine in the semi-final of the UEFA Patch A play-off route. This year’s edition would have been the Tartan Army’s first World Cup finals appearance since 1998. They have failed to qualify for the next six.
Another five of the 32 countries which featured at the 1998 World Cup in France have not been back to the FIFA tournament since. So, with that in mind, HITC Football takes a look at which countries are on the longest droughts since last appearing at a World Cup finals…
Scotland headline six countries on a World Cup drought dating back to 1998
Scotland, Bulgaria, Romania, Austria, Norway and Jamaica are all on a drought of six World Cups after missing Qatar 2022. Each country has not featured on the global stage since the 1998 edition in France. Romania and Norway went the furthest as both made the last 16.
The 1998 tournament was Scotland’s eighth World Cup finals but returned their eighth exit in the group stage. The Tartan Army debuted at the 1954 edition in Switzerland. But they have so far not made the knockout stages and never won more than one game at a finals.
Bolivia last played at a World Cup finals at the 1994 edition in the USA
Bolivia last played at a World Cup finals in 1994 and are now on a drought of seven World Cups. The 1994 edition held in the USA was also the South American’s first appearance at a FIFA finals in 44 years. La Verde had failed to qualify for all nine of the editions since 1950.
The United Arab Emirates made their World Cup finals debut in 1990
The United Arab Emirates made their debut at the World Cup finals at Italia 90. It was also Al Abyad’s first and most recent appearance on the global stage. But the Arabian Peninsula nation with a maritime border in the Persian Gulf with Qatar did not get out of their group.
Northern Ireland are among three countries on a World Cup drought since 1986
Northern Ireland are among three countries who last featured at a World Cup in 1986 for a drought of nine. Iraq and two-time runners-up Hungary have also not featured at the FIFA tournament since the 13th edition held in Mexico. While it marked Iraq’s first appearance.
Hungary made their debut at the 1934 edition in Italy and reached the final four years later in France. Magyars returned to the final at Switzerland 1954 but again lost the showpiece tie. Northern Ireland debuted in 1958 and claimed their best finish with a run to the quarter-final.
Kuwait and El Salvador have not been to a World Cup finals since 1982
Kuwait and El Salvador have not been back to the World Cup finals since the 1982 edition in Spain. The tournament was the former’s first appearance and the latter’s second. Both exited the competition after only the group stage for their best results at a finals to date.
DR Congo and Haiti made their only World Cup appearances in 1974
DR Congo and Haiti made their only World Cup appearances to date in 1974 for a drought of 12 finals. Both would bow out of the edition held in West Germany in the group stage.
Mexico hosted Israel for the Chosen Team’s only World Cup in 1970
Mexico hosted the 1970 World Cup, which saw Israel play at a finals for the first and only time. The Chosen Team would bow out after the group stage but after taking two draws. They held Sweden to a 1-1 stalemate and Italy to a 0-0 draw to miss out by just one point.
Cuba and Indonesia are on droughts of 19 World Cup finals since 1938
Cuba and Indonesia are enduring the longest droughts by any country to have previously appeared at a World Cup finals. By failing to book a place at Qatar 2022, both have now missed the last 19 editions. They each made their debuts at the 1938 edition in France.
The 1938 edition was the last World Cup finals to only feature knockout stage games and not a group stage. Cuba went the furthest by reaching the quarter-finals after eliminating Romania. While Hungary eliminated Indonesia (then the Dutch East Indies) in the last 16.
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