Haiti, DR Congo Return to World Cup After 52 Years

Haiti qualified outright for the expanded 48‑team tournament after winning a CONCACAF berth, while DR Congo earned their spot by defeating Jamaica in the play‑in. Both nations will return to the World Cup stage for the first time since 1974, the year DR Congo was known as Zaire. Their qualification follows a long absence, but they join other returnees such as Norway, Scotland, Austria, and Czechia, who also re‑entered the tournament after decades of absence.