Countries That Have Never Won a World Cup or Continental Title

This site tracks the 51 national teams that have won a major title. These 160 teams have not — yet. Some, like Belgium and Croatia, have come within a match of a World Cup final. Others are still building the basics of a footballing program. All of them are still waiting for their first major trophy.

Europe (UEFA)

43 teams

Albania

Best result: Euro 2016, their first-ever major tournament appearance, exiting in the group stage.

Andorra

The story so far: a shock 1-0 win over North Macedonia in 2004 remains their signature result, and recent UEFA Nations League campaigns have brought a wave of rare competitive wins — real, visible progress for one of Europe's smallest football nations.

Armenia

The story so far: built around stars like Henrikh Mkhitaryan, growing investment in the domestic game has fueled competitive Nations League campaigns in recent years.

Austria

Best result: 3rd place at the 1954 World Cup, part of the 'Wunderteam' era of Austrian football.

Azerbaijan

The story so far: major investment in football infrastructure — including hosting the 2019 Europa League final in Baku — reflects long-term ambitions that haven't yet translated to the pitch.

Belarus

The story so far: have not yet qualified for a World Cup or European Championship as an independent nation, still working toward a breakthrough.

Belgium

Best result: 3rd place, 2018 World Cup — the 'golden generation' era of De Bruyne, Hazard and Lukaku.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Best result: their only World Cup appearance, in 2014, exiting the group stage after beating Iran.

Bulgaria

Best result: World Cup semifinalists in 1994, led by Hristo Stoichkov, the tournament's joint-top scorer that year.

Croatia

Best result: World Cup runner-up in 2018, plus 3rd place in 2022 — one of the most successful small footballing nations of the modern era.

Cyprus

The story so far: the national team is still chasing a first major tournament, but Cypriot clubs like APOEL have reached the Champions League group stage — proof the footballing infrastructure is there.

Estonia

The story so far: a steady Baltic program that has never missed a qualifying campaign, still chasing its first major tournament appearance.

Faroe Islands

Best result: a famous 1-0 win over Austria in their first-ever competitive match at Euro 1992 qualifying, one of international football's great shock results.

Finland

Best result: Euro 2020 (played 2021), their first-ever major tournament in over a century of history, recording their only tournament win with a 1-0 victory over Denmark.

Georgia

Best result: Euro 2024 debut, stunning Portugal 2-0 in the group stage before losing to Spain in the round of 16.

Gibraltar

The story so far: UEFA's newest member (admitted in 2013) is still building its program from scratch, with recent Nations League promotions showing early signs of progress.

Hungary

Best result: World Cup runners-up in 1938 and 1954 — the legendary 1950s 'Mighty Magyars' side is considered one of the greatest teams never to win the trophy.

Iceland

Best result: Euro 2016 quarterfinalists, famously beating England 2-1 along the way — achieved by a nation of roughly 330,000 people, the smallest ever to reach a World Cup (2018).

Republic of Ireland

Best result: World Cup quarterfinalists in 1990, losing narrowly to hosts Italy.

Kazakhstan

The story so far: significant domestic investment since joining UEFA in 2002 continues to raise the ceiling for the national program.

Kosovo

Best result: FIFA's newest widely-recognized member (2016) has yet to qualify for a World Cup or European Championship.

Latvia

The story so far: reached Euro 2004, their only major tournament to date, and continue building toward a return.

Liechtenstein

The story so far: with a population of around 38,000, every competitive win is treated as a landmark, and recent Nations League campaigns have delivered several — a program quietly building rather than standing still.

Lithuania

The story so far: a consistent qualifying campaigner still working toward a first-ever major tournament appearance.

Luxembourg

The story so far: one of Europe's most improved teams in recent years, climbing through the UEFA Nations League divisions with a wave of positive results that has real momentum behind it.

Malta

The story so far: still searching for a breakthrough at major tournament level, with a compact domestic scene that continues to develop young talent.

Moldova

The story so far: a small but competitive Nations League campaigner, still working toward a first major tournament qualification.

Montenegro

Best result: independent since 2006, they have not yet qualified for a World Cup or European Championship, though they've come close via playoffs on several occasions.

Northern Ireland

Best result: World Cup quarterfinalists in 1958, their only appearance beyond the group stage in three tournament trips.

North Macedonia

Best result: reached Euro 2020, their first-ever major tournament appearance, exiting in the group stage.

Norway

Best result: World Cup round of 16 in both 1994 and 1998, including a famous 2-1 group-stage win over Brazil in 1998.

Poland

Best result: 3rd place at both the 1974 and 1982 World Cups, led by legendary striker Grzegorz Lato.

Romania

Best result: World Cup quarterfinalists in 1994, led by playmaker Gheorghe Hagi, one of Eastern Europe's greatest-ever players.

San Marino

Best result: none on the scoreboard, but they hold a football record — Davide Gualtieri's goal against England in 1993 remains the fastest ever scored in World Cup qualifying history, after just 8.3 seconds.

Scotland

Best result: have never advanced past a World Cup group stage, despite going undefeated in the group in 1974.

Serbia

Best result (as independent Serbia): has not advanced past the World Cup group stage; predecessor Yugoslavia reached the semifinal twice (1930, 1962).

Slovakia

Best result (as independent Slovakia): World Cup round of 16 in 2010, including a group-stage win over defending champions Italy.

Slovenia

Best result: two World Cup appearances (2002, 2010), with a round-of-16-adjacent group-stage finish; still searching for their first major knockout run.

Sweden

Best result: World Cup runner-up as hosts in 1958, plus 3rd-place finishes in 1950 and 1994.

Switzerland

Best result: World Cup quarterfinalists in the tournament's early decades (1934, 1938, 1954); a regular round-of-16 team in the modern era.

Turkey

Best result: 3rd place at the 2002 World Cup and semifinalists at Euro 2008.

Ukraine

Best result: World Cup quarterfinalists in 2006, their best-ever finish since independence.

Wales

Best result: Euro 2016 semifinalists, led by Gareth Bale — their best tournament run since a 1958 World Cup quarterfinal.

Africa (CAF)

39 teams

Angola

Best result: their only World Cup appearance, in 2006, where they held Portugal to a 0-0 draw in the group stage.

Benin

Best result: AFCON quarterfinalists in 2019, their best finish across several tournament appearances.

Botswana

Best result: their AFCON debut in 2012 ended in the group stage, their only appearance at the tournament to date.

Burkina Faso

Best result: AFCON runners-up in 2013, losing 1-0 to Nigeria in the final.

Burundi

Best result: their AFCON debut in 2019 ended in the group stage, their only appearance at the tournament to date.

Cape Verde Islands

Best result: AFCON quarterfinalists in 2013, a remarkable run for a nation of roughly 500,000 people making their tournament debut.

Central African Republic

The story so far: still chasing a first AFCON qualification, with the sport remaining a source of national pride.

Chad

Best result: have never qualified for the AFCON finals.

Comoros

Best result: their AFCON debut in 2021 included one of the tournament's strangest moments, when an outfield player was forced into goal for their round-of-16 exit after both regular goalkeepers were unavailable.

Djibouti

The story so far: still chasing a first AFCON qualification.

Equatorial Guinea

Best result: AFCON semifinalists in 2015 as late-replacement hosts, brought in only weeks before the tournament after Morocco withdrew.

Eritrea

The story so far: still building toward a first AFCON qualification.

Eswatini

Best result: have never qualified for the AFCON finals.

Gabon

Best result: AFCON quarterfinalists in 2012 (as co-hosts) and 2017 (as hosts); have never advanced further.

Gambia

Best result: AFCON quarterfinalists in 2021 (played 2022) on their tournament debut, one of the competition's biggest surprises of recent years.

Guinea

Best result: AFCON runners-up in 1976, losing to Morocco in a round-robin final group.

Guinea-Bissau

The story so far: qualified for the AFCON for the first time in 2017, a landmark moment in the program's history.

Kenya

The story so far: a passionate football culture still chasing a breakthrough AFCON knockout run.

Lesotho

Best result: have never qualified for the AFCON finals.

Liberia

Best result: have never qualified for the AFCON finals, despite producing George Weah — the only African winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year award (1995), who never got to play at a major tournament for his country.

Libya

Best result: AFCON runners-up in 1982 as hosts, losing to Ghana on penalties.

Madagascar

Best result: AFCON quarterfinalists in 2019 on their tournament debut, beating Nigeria in the group stage in one of the competition's biggest surprises in years.

Malawi

Best result: have never advanced past the AFCON group stage in their tournament appearances.

Mali

Best result: AFCON semifinalists on four occasions (1972, 1994, 2012, 2013) without ever reaching the final — often cited as one of Africa's best teams never to win the tournament.

Mauritania

Best result: reached the AFCON group stage on their tournament debut in 2019, without advancing further.

Mauritius

Best result: have never qualified for the AFCON finals.

Mozambique

The story so far: still chasing a breakthrough AFCON knockout run.

Namibia

Best result: four AFCON appearances (1998, 2008, 2019, 2024), all ending in the group stage.

Niger

Best result: have never advanced past the AFCON group stage in their tournament appearances.

Rwanda

Best result: their AFCON debut in 2004 ended in the group stage, their only appearance at the tournament to date.

Sao Tome and Principe

The story so far: still chasing a first AFCON qualification.

Seychelles

The story so far: still chasing a first AFCON qualification.

Sierra Leone

Best result: have qualified for the AFCON only a handful of times, never advancing past the group stage.

Somalia

The story so far: football remains a source of hope and unity, with the program still working toward AFCON qualification.

South Sudan

The story so far: one of the world's youngest football programs, having joined FIFA in 2012 after the country's independence — still writing its earliest chapters.

Tanzania

Best result: two AFCON appearances (1980, 2019), both ending in the group stage.

Togo

Best result: their only World Cup appearance, in 2006, exiting the group stage without a win.

Uganda

Best result: AFCON runners-up in 1978 as hosts, losing to Ghana.

Zimbabwe

Best result: have never advanced past the AFCON group stage in their tournament appearances.

Asia (AFC)

39 teams

Afghanistan

The story so far: still building toward a first major tournament qualification, with football remaining a source of hope and unity for the country.

American Samoa

The story so far: one of football's great redemption arcs — after a record 31-0 defeat in 2001, they won their first-ever international match a decade later, a moment celebrated in the acclaimed documentary 'Next Goal Wins.'

Bahrain

Best result: AFC Asian Cup quarterfinalists in 2004, their best continental finish to date.

Bangladesh

The story so far: one of the most passionate fan cultures in world football, still waiting for results on the pitch to match the enthusiasm in the stands.

Bhutan

The story so far: took part in football's charming 'Other Final' in 2002 — a friendly against Montserrat, the world's two lowest-ranked teams at the time, played on World Cup final day and watched closely by neutral fans worldwide.

Brunei Darussalam

The story so far: still working toward a breakthrough at the regional level.

Cambodia

The story so far: a football culture on the rise, backed by growing investment in youth development.

China PR

Best result: their only World Cup appearance, in 2002 as co-hosts' regional rivals, exiting the group stage without scoring a goal.

Chinese Taipei

The story so far: a developing program still working toward its first major continental breakthrough.

Guam

The story so far: one of football's great turnaround stories — after years at the bottom of the FIFA rankings, a run of wins in 2018 under coach Karl Dodd made them one of the most improved teams in the world that year.

Hong Kong

Best result: won consecutive Asian Games football gold medals in the 1950s, though that competition sits outside the AFC's official trophy record tracked here.

India

Best result: qualified for the 1950 World Cup by default but withdrew before playing a match; runners-up at the 1964 AFC Asian Cup.

Indonesia

Best result: played as the Dutch East Indies at the 1938 World Cup, the first Asian team ever to appear at the tournament, losing their only match 6-0 to Hungary.

Jordan

Best result: AFC Asian Cup runners-up in 2023, losing 3-1 to Qatar in the final — their best-ever tournament finish.

Korea DPR

Best result: World Cup quarterfinalists in 1966, one of the tournament's great shocks — they beat Italy and led Portugal 3-0 before losing 5-3.

Kyrgyz Republic

Best result: their AFC Asian Cup debut came in 2019, exiting in the group stage.

Laos

The story so far: still building toward a first major regional breakthrough.

Lebanon

The story so far: hosted the AFC Asian Cup in 2000 and continue building a competitive program despite challenging circumstances at home.

Macau

The story so far: a small program still building its competitive foundations.

Malaysia

The story so far: a proud football history dating back to the prestigious Merdeka Tournament era, still chasing a return to Asia's top table.

Maldives

The story so far: won the South Asian Football Federation Championship in 2008, a proud regional peak even if the main AFC Asian Cup title remains elusive.

Mongolia

The story so far: a small but growing football scene still working toward its first major regional result.

Myanmar

The story so far: won consecutive Asian Games football gold medals in the 1960s and 70s, a golden era the program is still working to recapture.

Nepal

The story so far: a devoted football following, still chasing a breakthrough at the continental level.

Northern Mariana Islands

The story so far: a small Pacific program still building its footballing foundations.

Oman

Best result: have never advanced past the AFC Asian Cup group stage; their peak achievements have come at the sub-regional Gulf Cup level instead.

Pakistan

The story so far: a huge population and growing grassroots interest give the program real long-term potential.

Palestine

The story so far: qualified for the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in 2015, a landmark achievement for the program.

Philippines

The story so far: the 'Azkals' sparked a genuine football boom in the 2010s, reaching multiple Southeast Asian championship semifinals along the way.

Singapore

The story so far: won the Southeast Asian ASEAN championship four times, a proud regional record even if the main AFC Asian Cup title remains elusive.

Sri Lanka

The story so far: football is growing alongside the country's dominant cricket tradition.

Syria

Best result: AFC Asian Cup quarterfinalists in 1996 as hosts.

Thailand

Best result: AFC Asian Cup quarterfinalists in 1972; the region's most successful team at the Southeast Asian championship level, though that title doesn't count toward this tracker.

Timor-Leste

The story so far: one of Southeast Asia's youngest football programs, still building its competitive foundations.

Turkmenistan

The story so far: growing state investment in football infrastructure continues to raise the program's ceiling.

United Arab Emirates

Best result: AFC Asian Cup runners-up in 1996 as hosts, losing to Saudi Arabia on penalties.

Uzbekistan

Best result: AFC Asian Cup semifinalists in 2011, their best continental finish to date.

Vietnam

Best result: AFC Asian Cup quarterfinalists in 2019, their best continental finish; have never qualified for a World Cup.

Yemen

The story so far: football remains a source of hope and unity, with the national team continuing to compete despite very difficult circumstances at home.

North & Central America, Caribbean (CONCACAF)

29 teams

Anguilla

The story so far: a small Caribbean program still building its footballing foundations from the ground up.

Antigua and Barbuda

The story so far: a developing CONCACAF program still chasing its breakthrough continental result.

Aruba

The story so far: a small but committed footballing community still working toward its first major regional breakthrough.

Bahamas

The story so far: football is still growing in the shadow of the country's stronger track and field tradition, with room to develop.

Barbados

Best result: no continental trophy, but they're part of one of football's strangest episodes — the 1994 'Barbados goal disaster,' when they deliberately scored an own goal to exploit a golden-goal tournament rule and force extra time against Grenada.

Belize

The story so far: a small CONCACAF program still building toward its first major regional result.

Bermuda

The story so far: football continues to grow on the island alongside a strong cricket tradition.

British Virgin Islands

The story so far: a small program still building its competitive foundations in the Caribbean.

Cayman Islands

The story so far: a small program still building its competitive foundations in the Caribbean.

Cuba

Best result: World Cup quarterfinalists in 1938, their only appearance, after a replay win over Romania in the first round.

Curacao

Best result: CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinalists on multiple occasions (2017, 2021, 2023), the strongest recent run among the Caribbean's smaller nations.

Dominica

The story so far: a small Caribbean program still building its competitive foundations.

Dominican Republic

The story so far: football is growing steadily alongside the country's strong baseball tradition.

El Salvador

Best result: two World Cup appearances (1970, 1982) without a win, including a 10-1 loss to Hungary in 1982, still the tournament's biggest defeat.

Grenada

The story so far: a small CONCACAF program remembered fondly for a bizarre 1994 tournament episode against Barbados, still chasing its first big continental result.

Guyana

The story so far: a growing pool of diaspora talent is helping build a more competitive program.

Jamaica

Best result: their only World Cup appearance, in 1998, where the 'Reggae Boyz' beat Japan 2-1 for their sole tournament win.

Montserrat

The story so far: their charming 2002 'Other Final' against Bhutan, played the same day as the World Cup final, remains a beloved footnote in football history.

Nicaragua

The story so far: football is growing steadily in a country with deep baseball roots.

Panama

Best result: World Cup debut in 2018; a disputed 'ghost goal' against England was celebrated as wildly as a trophy back home despite a 6-1 loss.

Puerto Rico

The story so far: football continues to grow on an island where baseball and basketball dominate the sporting conversation.

Sint Maarten

The story so far: a small program still building its competitive foundations.

St Kitts and Nevis

The story so far: a small CONCACAF program still building toward its first major regional result.

St Lucia

The story so far: a small CONCACAF program still building toward its first major regional result.

St Vincent and the Grenadines

The story so far: a small CONCACAF program still building toward its first major regional result.

Suriname

Best result: no continental trophy, though the country is well known in football for a different reason — a large number of Dutch national team players, including several 1970s and 1980s stars, are of Surinamese descent.

Trinidad and Tobago

Best result: their only World Cup appearance, in 2006, holding Sweden to a 0-0 draw — the smallest nation by population to qualify at the time.

Turks and Caicos Islands

The story so far: a small Caribbean program still building its competitive foundations.

US Virgin Islands

The story so far: a small Caribbean program still building its competitive foundations.

South America (CONMEBOL)

2 teams

Ecuador

Best result: World Cup round of 16 in 2006, beating Poland and Costa Rica in the group stage before losing to England.

Venezuela

Best result: Copa America fourth place in 2011; the only CONMEBOL nation to have never qualified for a World Cup.

Oceania (OFC)

8 teams

Cook Islands

The story so far: a small Pacific program still building its footballing foundations.

Fiji

The story so far: football continues to grow on an island best known internationally for rugby sevens.

New Caledonia

The story so far: a competitive OFC program that has reached multiple Nations Cup campaigns, still chasing a first title.

Papua New Guinea

Best result: hosted the 2016 OFC Nations Cup but were eliminated in the group stage.

Samoa

The story so far: a small Pacific program still building its footballing foundations.

Solomon Islands

Best result: OFC Nations Cup semifinalists on multiple occasions; have never reached the final.

Tonga

The story so far: football continues to grow on an island best known internationally for rugby.

Vanuatu

Best result: OFC Nations Cup runners-up in 2024 as co-hosts, losing 3-0 to New Zealand in the final.

The Waiting Room

Europe (UEFA)

Africa (CAF)

Asia (AFC)

North & Central America, Caribbean (CONCACAF)

South America (CONMEBOL)

Oceania (OFC)