Qatar 2022 arouses all kinds of feelings, both in those National Teams that managed to survive the Qualifiers to get one of the 32 available spots, as well as in those that failed to make the attempt. The fact is that a FIFA World Cup leaves its mark on everyone who takes part in it.

Throughout its 92-year history, 21 editions of this tournament have been played. Qatar 2022 will be the 22nd on the list but the first to be played in the Middle East and during the last months of the year. The honor of being the first in these categories is something that no one will be able to take away.

Thus, with so many editions played and so many countries that have participated in it, the FIFA World Cup has countless stories and anecdotes to tell. Among these are those of the longest waits to be able to play them, which were rewarded because participating in a tournament like Qatar 2022 is simply priceless. 

The countries that have taken the longest to play in the FIFA World Cup

Considering that there are 211 federations affiliated to FIFA, the 79 national teams that have had the pleasure of participating in the World Cup, first played in 1930, can be considered privileged. Then there are some that seem to have been born to enjoy this tournament forever, such as Brazil, Germany and Italy, which have played and won the most editions, a fact that will not change even after Qatar 2022.

Then there is another group of entertainers that usually qualify for the FIFA World Cup with some consistency but have won the tournament a maximum of two times, such as Argentina and France. Then there are the entertainers and occasional participants. The latter are the core of this story. Here are the National Teams that had to wait the longest to earn World Cup status.

Those that have taken the longest to be in a World Cup

In this group, some nations stand out as special cases, such as the host country of the upcoming FIFA World Cup. Qatar will play its first edition of this tournament thanks to the fact that it will host it. There is also the case of National Teams such as Slovakia or Bosnia and Herzegovina, which were slow to participate as such due to their relatively recent social and political independence. 

- Qatar, 92 years to participate (1930 - 2022)
- Iceland, 88 years to participate (1930 - 2018)
- Panama, 88 years to participate (1930 - 2018)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina, 84 years to participate (1930 - 2014) (for geopolitical reasons)
- Slovakia, 80 years to participate (1930 - 2010) (for geopolitical reasons)

7 decades to qualify for a FIFA World Cup

In this block a very peculiar phenomenon happened. The FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 was a watershed event for many teams, as a good number of African and American teams made their World Cup debuts. There are also others, such as China, which needed to be unhindered by Korea and Japan in order to earn a place in the 200th FIFA World Cup.

- Angola, 76 years to participate (1930 - 2006)
- Ghana,  76 years to participate (1930 - 2006)
- Ivory Coast, 76 years to participate (1930 - 2006)
- Trinidad & Tobago, 76 years to participate (1930 - 2006)
- Togo, 76 years to participate (1930 - 2006)
- Ukraine, 76 years to participate (1930 - 2006)
- China, 72 years to participate (1930 - 2002) 
- Ecuador, 72 years to participate (1930 - 2002) 
- Senegal, 72 years to participate (1930 - 2002) 
- Slovenia, 72 years to participate (1930 - 2002) (for geopolitical reasons)

6 decades to qualify for a FIFA World Cup

The case of Croatia, the current runner-up in the FIFA World Cup, who due to geopolitical reasons was able to compete under its current structure as of France 1998, stands out immediately. Also there are some teams that took a while to consolidate their qualification for the FIFA World Cup, but they are here to stay, such as Japan, who after participating in 1998 World Cup, have not missed a single edition of this tournament. 

- Croacia, 58 years to participate (1930 - 1998) (for geopolitical reasons)
- Jamaica, 58 years to participate (1930 - 1998) 
- Japan, 68 years to participate (1930 - 1998)
- South Africa, 58 years to participate (1930 - 1998)
- Greece, 64 years to participate (1930 - 1994)  
- Nigeria, 64 years to participate (1930 - 1994)
- Saudi Arabia,  64 years to participate (1930 - 1994)
- Costa Rica, 60 years to participate (1930 - 1990) 
- Ireland, 60 years to participate (1930 - 1990) 
- United Arab Emirates, 60 years to participate (1930 - 1990)

5 decades to qualify for a FIFA World Cup

The team that swept the CONCACAF Qualifiers for Qatar 2022, Canada, took a long time to experience its first World Cup. The same is the case with the now competitive Danish team. Cameroon, which made a timid appearance at Spain 1982, also featured.

- Canada, 56 years to participate (1930 - 1986)
- Denmark, 56 years to participate (1930 - 1986)
- Irak, 56 years to participate (1930 - 1986)
- Algeria, 52 years to participate (1930 - 1982)
- Cameroon, 52 years to participate (1930 - 1982)
- Honduras, 52 years to participate (1930 - 1982)
- Kuwait, 52 years to participate (1930 - 1982)
- New Zealand, 52 years to participate (1930 - 1982)

4 decades to qualify for a FIFA World Cup

Of this group of National Teams, the Peruvian team stands out, which is undoubtedly one step higher in quality than the rest of the teams that accompany it. There are also teams that have had a one-hit-wonder so far, such as Haiti, DR Congo or Israel. 

- Iran, 48 years to participate (1930 - 1978)
- Tunisia, 48 years to participate (1930 - 1978)
- Australia, 44 years to participate (1930 - 1974)
- DR Congo, 44 years to participate (1930 - 1974)
- Haiti, 44 years to participate (1930 - 1974)
- El Salvador, 40 years to participate (1930 - 1970)
- Israel, 40 years to participate (1930 - 1970)
- Morocco, 40 years to participate (1930 - 1970)
- Peru, 40 years to participate (1930 - 1970)

3 decades to qualify for a FIFA World Cup

A much smaller group but including renowned teams such as Portugal, which was able to play in a World Cup until 1966. The case is similar to that of Colombia, which was not able to attend until Chile 1962, and then was absent from the tournament again, as will be the case in Qatar 2022.

- North Korea, 36 years to participate (1930 - 1966)
- Portugal, 36 years to participate (1930 - 1966)
- Bulgaria, 32 years to participate (1930 - 1962)
- Colombia, 32 years to participate (1930 - 1962)

2 decades to qualify for a FIFA World Cup

Twenty decades, twenty years or more, is easy to say but passes very slowly. This was the wait that the following 7 National Teams had to endure, including a World Champion, such as the prestigious England, who won the only edition that has been played in its territory so far, in 1966.

- Northern Ireland, 28 years to participate (1930 - 1958)
- Russia, 28 years to participate (1930 - 1958)
- Wales, 28 years to participate (1930 - 1958)
- Russia, 28 years to participate (1930 - 1958)
- Korea, 24 years to participate (1930 - 1954)
- Scotland, 24 years to participate (1930 - 1954)
- Turkey, 24 years to participate (1930 - 1954)
- England, 20 years to participate (1930 - 1950)