With eight months to go until the 2026 World Cup kicks off at the Estadio Azteca, the stakes are ratcheting up in qualifiers across the world. Africa's first round, in which six spots are to be filled, concludes during this break from the club season while two more spots are up for grabs in Asia. There is no such finality to games in Europe and North America just yet, but there is altogether less room for slip ups for some of the biggest sides in the sport... and indeed for some of the smallest nations.

Here, then, are five games that could be among the most crucial in the race for one of the 45 qualification spots in north America next summer.

1. Northern Ireland vs. Germany , Monday Oct. 13, 2:45 p.m. ET

Even if there is a backdoor route to North America through second round playoff

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