Australia has been knocked out of the World Cup after losing to Argentina 2-1 in the round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Australia's men's team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals on seven occasions: 1974, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026.
Which teams have already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Good news, Australia has already qualified. After beating Japan for the first time in 16 years and winning against Saudi Arabia in June, the Socceroos secured their World Cup place.
👏 ICYMI: AUS beat BAN by 10 wickets to become the 1st team to qualify for the #CWC25 semifinals!
Argentina. The reigning world champions were the first CONMEBOL team to qualify. They secured their spot on 25 March when when Bolivia drew 0-0 with Uruguay. That result meant Argentina were guaranteed to finish in one of South America's six automatic World Cup qualification spots.
Lionel Messi is nearing retirement, and the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to be his last tournament for Argentina, who are defending champions. The Argentine captain is currently 38 years old and hasn't yet confirmed his participation in the event.
Yes, as of early January 2026, countries like Kiribati, New Zealand, and Australia have already entered the year 2026, while others, like the Americas, are among the last to experience it, with celebrations rolling across the globe due to time zones and the International Date Line.
Australia was drawn into Group D alongside host nation the United States, South Americans Paraguay and the winner from UEFA Play-off C - which we'll discover during the March FIFA Window.
Summary. Australia scored the first ever team total over 400 in men's cricket in ODIs. South Africa chasing 434 was the highest successful ODI chase of all time and the highest team total in the second innings in ODIs.
South Africa Men v Australia Men, ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 | cricket.com.au.
The Matildas will be the first women football team in the world to receive the same pay as their male counterparts. Both the male and female teams will evenly share 40 per cent of commercial revenue from ticket sales and broadcast deals despite the majority of the revenue being generated by the Socceroos.
If the Socceroos are heavily defeated by Saudi Arabia and finish third or fourth in their group, they will have to qualify via a round-robin tournament in October, which is to be played at a centralised venue within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
In 2019, Football Australia were investigating the potential to bid for the 2034 FIFA World Cup with Indonesia. In October 2023, Football Australia announced its intention to bid alone for the tournament, before ultimately withdrawing after baulking at the prospect of challenging Saudi Arabia for the hosting rights.
Australia. How qualified: Australia finished second in their group, clinching qualification in June after a comeback 2-1 win against Saudi Arabia. FIFA World Cup trivia: The qualification for the FIFA World Cup 26™ was the first time Australia has secured direct qualification since their 2014 campaign.
Socceroos' world ranking
They slipped to 102nd in the world, the only time they've broken three figures. They currently sit 25th at the end of 2025, after rising 11 places courtesy of their run to the round of 16 at the World Cup in late 2022.
Australia is hosting the massive Men's Rugby World Cup 2027, the biggest in its history, featuring 24 teams across seven Australian cities (Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle, Townsville) with the final in Sydney at Stadium Australia in November 2027, following a successful bid alongside the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup.
While the United States (US) is Australia's key strategic ally and often seen as a very close partner by leaders, public opinion polls consistently show New Zealand as Australia's "best friend" in the world, followed by the US and then the United Kingdom, reflecting deep cultural and historical ties with both neighbors.
AB de Villiers of South Africa scored the fastest century in One-Day International (ODI) cricket, reaching 100 runs off just 31 balls against the West Indies on January 18, 2015, in Johannesburg, a record that still stands.
The most infamous and widely considered disgraceful moment in cricket history is the 1981 underarm bowling incident, where Australian captain Greg Chappell instructed his brother Trevor to bowl the final ball underarm along the ground to prevent New Zealand from hitting a six to tie a One-Day International match, violating the spirit of the game. This controversial tactic, though legal at the time, sparked widespread outrage for its unsportsmanlike nature, leading to bans on underarm bowling in official matches and remaining a dark stain on the sport's history.
At the same time, Australia have been knocked out in the semi-finals of the most recent T20 and ODI World Cups, leaving them without either trophy. Australia will ramp up preparations for June's T20 World Cup in England against India next month, with just six T20s between now and then.
In November, Ronaldo told CNN that the 2026 World Cup will "definitely" be his last and that retirement will come "soon" after. "I'm enjoying the moment," Ronaldo said. "But when I mean soon, it's really soon, because I give everything for football. I'm in the game for the last 25 years.
On July 19, 2026, the biggest event will be the final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, crowning the world's best men's national soccer team. It's also International Karaoke Day, National Daiquiri Day, and National Ice Cream Day, offering fun celebrations for music, drinks, and treats.
Most English-speaking countries recognize seven continents (Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, Australia/Oceania), but some models, particularly geological ones, propose eight, adding Zealandia (a largely submerged continent) to the traditional seven, while others merge Asia and Europe into Eurasia. So, it's either 7 or 8 depending on the classification system used, with 7 being the common educational standard and 8 (including Zealandia) gaining scientific traction.
The first country to enter 2025 is the Pacific island nation of Kiribati, specifically its Line Islands like Kiritimati (Christmas Island). Due to its location just west of the International Date Line, Kiribati experiences the New Year first, with its celebrations beginning as early as 10:00 AM UTC on December 31st, ahead of other nations.