Spain sit on the brink of qualification, perfect in their group and threatening to close out their spot when they face Turkey in the final round; five wins, zero goals conceded, and a goal difference that underlines how complete Luis de la Fuente’s side have been this cycle.
Across UEFA, the standings show a split between teams already asserting control and a clutch of groups still wide open; several nations have built strong cushions through consistent wins while others must scrap for points in the final fixtures to avoid dropping into playoffs.
In CONMEBOL the familiar heavyweights have consolidated high positions on the table, with Argentina and Brazil sitting comfortably among the leaders and Colombia, Uruguay and Paraguay all applying pressure in what remains one of the competition’s tightest, most competitive qualifying ladders.
Africa and Asia reveal contrasting stories: some CAF groups are being shaped by surprise contenders and late swings in goal difference, while in AFC sections teams such as Japan and Saudi Arabia have combined attacking efficiency with defensive discipline to top their groups and distance themselves from the chasing pack.
New Zealand has continued to lead the OFC picture and remains the confederation’s clearest front‑runner, while CONCACAF shows a mixture of hosts‑qualified certainty and still‑to‑be‑decided places as regional rivals trade results and momentum shifts ahead of the last matchdays.
Bottom line: a handful of automatic places look settled, Spain among the most emphatic examples, but most of the map is still undecided — goal difference, head‑to‑head ties and final‑day fixtures will determine a large number of places as qualification enters its decisive phase.
