World Cup 2026

[zebra]

2026 is a (men's football) World Cup year, so how about a group build covering all the countries that qualify for it?

 

Qualification criteria will be simple: Anything based in or operated in any of the 48 countries that participate in FIFA World Cup 2026. For the UK's constituent countries, the subject would have to be based in the relevant part of the UK - eg a Scottish-based squadron for Scotland, English-based squadron for England, and so on.

 

Countries that have qualified so far:

USA

Canada

Mexico

Japan

 

What do people think?

 

The sign-up list:

 

1. Zebra

2. @vppelt68

3. @Marlin

4. @Rabbit Leader

5. @Col.

6. @Dennis_C

7. @Mjwomack

8. @ModelingEdmontonian

9. @wimbledon99

10. @Jabba

 

[vppelt68]

I support this idea, please sign me in the "GB Where You Will Most Definitely NEVER Get To Build a Finnish Subject"  Forza Italia, btw, per sempre ❤️

[Marlin]

Hey, that's a real cool idea  

Please sign me up.

Have to check which countries are represented and choose one I've not built something from.

/Bosse

[Rabbit Leader]

I’ll be in that Julian, so please sign me up. Be interesting to build a subject from the 1969 Football War, should either El Salvador 🇸🇻 or Honduras 🇭🇳 get up! 
 

Cheers… Dave (who thinks Australia will have to qualify the hard way again!) 

[Col.]

That's an interesting idea Julian. How do we cover the UK should one of the various teams qualify?

[Rabbit Leader]

I also reckon one subject could possibly cover every nation that qualifies…the T-6 Texan / Harvard series of Trainers!.
Can you imagine a GB full of them? 

[Dennis_C]

Would British subjects qualify for this GB? Or is that going to be limited to Scottish warriors or English man-o-war ships?

 

Hmmm... if Scotland qualifies - I think Scottish Aviation products should be for sure permitted. Similar approach to English Electric probably. 

Edited November 15, 2024 by Dennis_C

[zebra]

British subjects are a bit awkward (typical!). I think I’d like this to be more about things in the colours of the country in question, rather than made in the country in question (not least because that becomes a free for all - if Germany, England, France, Russia and Japan qualify then pretty much most modelling subjects would be in). So perhaps for British subjects they’d be in markings of a, say, a unit based in the relevant part of Britain? Eg for an RAF Typhoon you’d use a Coningsby based squadron for England and a Lossiemouth based squadron for Scotland.

14 hours ago, vppelt68 said:

I support this idea, please sign me in the "GB Where You Will Most Definitely NEVER Get To Build a Finnish Subject"  Forza Italia, btw, per sempre ❤️

Don’t lose hope yet, qualification hasn’t started yet!

 

13 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

I also reckon one subject could possibly cover every nation that qualifies…the T-6 Texan / Harvard series of Trainers!.
 

Can you imagine a GB full of them? 

that would be brilliant - maybe this should be a “World Cup of Texans and Harvards” GB!

[Dennis_C]

16 hours ago, zebra said:

So far the list of qualifying countries - which I'll update from time to time as additional countries qualify - is just the three host countries: USA, Canada and Mexico.

As qualification process in Asia is half way through - we know that many nations are already out of this GB including India, Pakistan, Syria, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore etc. Also Russia is banned from 2026 WC too. Still given overall participants count at 48 it should be a pretty wide choice of less obvious nations to choose from. 

 

Also the GB dates should probably be April through July between the end of qualification rounds and the final game. 

Edited November 15, 2024 by Dennis_C

[zebra]

51 minutes ago, Dennis_C said:

As qualification process in Asia is half way through - we know that many nations are already out of this GB including India, Pakistan, Syria, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore etc. Also Russia is banned from 2026 WC too. Still given overall participants count at 48 it should be a pretty wide choice of less obvious nations to choose from. 

 

Also the GB dates should probably be April through July between the end of qualification rounds and the final game. 

I like your thinking on the dates, it should end on the day of the final

[Dennis_C]

8 hours ago, zebra said:

I like your thinking on the dates, it should end on the day of the final

Qualification end on March 31st and final match is on July 19th. So just right for the GB. 

Please add me in. Should be fun build. And I have a Texan kit

Edited November 16, 2024 by Dennis_C

[Dennis_C]

Just looked through the qualification calendar. Seems at the time of 2026 bunfight end (November 18th, 2025) we will know majority of participants except for four open slots for UEFA playoff winners and two winners of intercontinental playoffs.

Edited November 16, 2024 by Dennis_C

[zebra]

Thanks everyone, I'd better start a list

[Dennis_C]

7 hours ago, zebra said:

Thanks everyone, I'd better start a list

I'd start building a stock of African air forces markings!

[Mjwomack]

Go Gibraltar ( or San Marino- they're ripping up trees at the moment). I'll give it a go, not idea about what or where though but definitely a pure underdog.  South Africa would be fun.

[Dennis_C]

18 minutes ago, Mjwomack said:

or San Marino- they're ripping up trees at the moment

There is a handful of private jets (including even A330) with San Marino registration

And for Gibraltar it should be a diorama with EasyJet airplane taking off above Victoria football field with the runway/Chirchill Avenue crossroads at the background. 

Edited November 19, 2024 by Dennis_C

[zebra]

14 hours ago, Mjwomack said:

Go Gibraltar ( or San Marino- they're ripping up trees at the moment). I'll give it a go, not idea about what or where though but definitely a pure underdog.  South Africa would be fun.

You're on the list

 

14 hours ago, Dennis_C said:

There is a handful of private jets (including even A330) with San Marino registration

And for Gibraltar it should be a diorama with EasyJet airplane taking off above Victoria football field with the runway/Chirchill Avenue crossroads at the background. 

I'm not sure it's going to be worth spending too much time planning a build for Gibraltar or San Marino in this GB!

[Dennis_C]

1 hour ago, zebra said:

I'm not sure it's going to be worth spending too much time planning a build for Gibraltar or San Marino in this GB!

Agree. But I'm sure 48 nations means we will see some unusual countries from modeller's perspective

[zebra]

1 hour ago, Dennis_C said:

48 nations means we will see some unusual countries

agreed - but I still wouldn't put money on Gibraltar or San Marino being among them!

[Dennis_C]

10 minutes ago, zebra said:

agreed - but I still wouldn't put money on Gibraltar or San Marino being among them!

I hope I would be able to enter this GB with something Azzurri 

Edited November 20, 2024 by Dennis_C

[Mjwomack]

23 minutes ago, zebra said:

agreed - but I still wouldn't put money on Gibraltar or San Marino being among them!

Oh crap

[zebra]

3 hours ago, Dennis_C said:

I hope I would be able to enter this GB with something Azzurri 

Probably on safer ground with that choice!

[ModelingEdmontonian]

Cool idea. Sign me up

[wimbledon99]

Is this just military or would a Ducati road bike, as an example, qualify as an 'Italy' build?

[zebra]

On 2/7/2025 at 11:27 PM, wimbledon99 said:

Is this just military or would a Ducati road bike, as an example, qualify as an 'Italy' build?

Not just military - no GB I suggest would ever be just military! - but it's 'based in' or 'operated in' the country in question, rather than built in. As long as you give it an Italian registration it would qualify.