England became the first European team to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup after a dominant 5-0 win over Latvia on Tuesday. Captain Harry Kane struck twice in the first half, sealing England’s place at the top of their group with two matches remaining. The team, guided by German coach Thomas Tuchel, has yet to concede a goal in six qualifying matches.
Kane praised the team’s consistency, saying England’s success comes from maintaining high standards regardless of the opponent. The win confirmed England’s eighth consecutive World Cup appearance.
Portugal, meanwhile, missed the chance to clinch early qualification after conceding a stoppage-time equalizer to Hungary in a 2-2 draw in Lisbon. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to give Portugal a 2-1 lead, but Dominik Szoboszlai’s late strike kept Hungary within five points. Ronaldo set a new record with 41 goals in World Cup qualifiers, surpassing Carlos Ruiz of Guatemala.
Italy also made progress by securing at least a playoff spot with a 3-0 victory over Israel. The match was played under tight security amid pro-Palestinian demonstrations, marking an important step toward redemption after Italy failed to reach the last two World Cups.
