Four of the five most populous countries in the world failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. India with 1.451 billion people, China with 1.049 billion, Indonesia with 283 million, and Pakistan with 251.3 million will not participate in the world's biggest football event. The combined population of these countries is 3.0343 billion, yet their football potential remains underdeveloped on the international stage. This highlights the challenges these nations face in their efforts to establish themselves in global football.