World Cup Qualification: Win a VIP trip to Bratislava!

World Cup Qualification: Win a VIP trip to Bratislava!

The football world is looking forward to the upcoming qualifying games for the 2026 World Cup. In September 2025, the German national team will play against Slovakia in Bratislava. An exciting event that delights both football fans and travel enthusiasts. Picture reports that the game will take place on September 4, 2025 at the Národný football stadium.

There is also a special note for all football enthusiasts: Telekom, in collaboration with BILDplus, is giving away a VIP trip for two people to Bratislava. The trip includes a flight from Frankfurt to Vienna, bus transfers, a boat tour on the Danube and tickets for the much-anticipated international match. Only registered BILDplus customers who are at least 18 years old can take part. The deadline for participation is July 16, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Winners will be notified by email, so be quick!

The new World Cup – more teams, more excitement

The anticipation of the 2026 World Cup is not only noticeable in Germany. This will be held with 48 participants - a decision that FIFA officially announced this week. This means that 16 more teams will be competing than at the last World Cup in 2022. However, some fans have expressed concerns that the quality of the tournament could suffer. The False Nine reports that the qualification of the best teams is based on the current world rankings.

A total of 16 starting places are available for 54 participating teams in Europe. So the competition will be high. The best 32 teams in the world rankings will not be included, as Austria, as one of the strongest teams, may end up missing out on qualification. This is particularly critical as it means that a strong team from the Euro 2021 will remain without participation in the World Cup. New Zealand, on the other hand, could get one of the coveted places as the bottom of the qualifiers at 105th in the world rankings.

A look at the qualifications

Qualification will take place from 2023 to 2026, with a total of 210 FIFA members registered, excluding Russia. The fight for places is played in several rounds. The teams from the lower ranks take part in the qualification as early as the first round of CONCACAF qualification. UEFA will also incorporate the Nations League results into qualification to promote the best teams. Wikipedia gives an overview of the structure and the starting places that are distributed among the individual continental associations.

But the Germans are optimistic and ready to fight for their place in this exciting new World Cup. Preparations are in full swing and the game against Slovakia is already the highlight of the year for many. Whether and how the changes will affect the quality of competition remains to be seen, but the football world is ready for a new era!