Greenland could bypass its World Cup ban by joining Oceania’s confederation, following a precedent once set by Israel.
A country banned from the 2026 World Cup could exploit a loophole similar to one used by Israel decades ago to join future tournaments.
Eritrea and Congo are currently banned from the 2026 competition, set to be hosted across Mexico, the United States, and Canada. While Eritrea has not played competitively since 2020, Congo’s football federation was suspended earlier this year, preventing re-entry into qualifiers.
Greenland, meanwhile, has also been blocked from joining both UEFA and CONCACAF despite being a sovereign territory of Denmark and geographically part of North America. Its lack of UN recognition automatically disqualified it from UEFA membership, and CONCACAF later rejected its application.
However, The Sweeper Podcast suggested Greenland could seek entry through Oceania’s confederation (OFC), the same route Israel used for World Cup qualifiers in 1986 and 1990 for political reasons. “With both UEFA & CONCACAF rejecting Greenland as a member, one possible – but improbable – option would be to join OFC,” the podcast noted.