Austria qualified for the 2026 World Cup after snatching a 77th-minute equaliser through Michael Gregoritsch against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Vienna to earn a 1-1 draw and top Group H. It will be Austria’s first appearance at a World Cup finals tournament since 1998.
Bosnia finished second in the group, two points behind on 17, and go into a playoff in March for a spot at the finals tournament, which will be co-hosted next year by Mexico, the US and Canada.
Needing a win to top the group and secure automatic qualification to their second World Cup tournament after their maiden appearance in 2014, Bosnia stunned the home crowd when Haris Tabakovic headed in from close range to give them a 12th-minute lead. The forward has now scored in each of their last three qualifiers, including in the 3-1 win against Romania on Saturday.
Ralf Rangnick’s Austria bounced back, regained control and put the ball in the net on the stroke of half-time but Konrad Laimer’s effort was overruled for a foul after a lengthy review from the video assistant referee.
The visitors were content to sit back and soak up the pressure in the second half, hoping to catch Austria on the break. But the hosts’ pressure eventually paid off when Gregoritsch saw Marcel Sabitzer’s cross sail past the Bosnian keeper before bouncing off a post and into his path for a powerful finish and his 23rd and most memorable international goal.
Spain secured their place after a nervy 2-2 draw with Turkey in Seville, finishing unbeaten at the top of Group E despite being given a genuine scare by their resilient visitors.
The European champions led 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 the 2026 finals tournament.
“We didn’t celebrate as euphorically as we would have liked,” Olmo told TVE. “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.”
Switzerland qualified despite being held 1-1 in Pristina by Kosovoas Florent Muslija’s superb strike cancelled out Rubén Vargas’s early second-half goal for the visitors. The hosts needed a six-goal win to overtake Switzerland, who finished top of Group B with 14 points, completing an unbeaten qualifying campaign. Kosovo secured second place with 11 points and a berth in the European playoffs in March, as they chase a first World Cup appearance.
After a flat first half with few openings, Vargas broke the deadlock 90 seconds after the restart, slipping in behind to meet a through-ball from Djibril Sow and beating Arijanet Muric with a low finish.
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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 crowd, the hosts pressed for a late winner, but efforts from Baton Zabergja and Vedat Muriqi were smothered by Kobel and a resolute Swiss backline.
The Switzerland captain, Granit Xhaka, said: “It was important for us that the Kosovars didn’t carry their euphoria into the game,” 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.”
Belgium hammered Liechtenstein 7-0 to confirm their berth, 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 the runners-up Wales, and secured their place at the finals tournament next year.
Jérémy Doku and Charles De Ketelaere scored twice and there were goals for Hans Vanaken, Brandon Mechele and Alexis Saelemaekers with the home side scoring four times in a furious seven-minute, second-half spell.
Belgium will be competing at their 15th World Cup finals, having twice reached the semi-finals. Liechtenstein finished the campaign without scoring – the only side in the European qualifiers to do so.
