FIFA World Cup: The Most Heartbreaking Host Eliminations in World Cup History

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is fast approaching, and for three nations, the stakes have never been higher. The United States, Mexico, and Canada are set to open their doors to the largest edition of the tournament in history. The spectacle kicks off on June 11th, when Mexico welcomes South Africa to the hallowed turf of the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City—a poetic rematch of the 2010 opener, promising deafening noise and vibrant colour.

Yet, despite the raucous backing each nation will enjoy this summer, the harsh reality is that none of the three co-hosts enters the tournament as a genuine heavyweight.

Online betting markets position the United States as the most likely of the trio to survive deep into the tournament, with a dream scenario of lifting the trophy at MetLife Stadium on July 19th. However, such a victory would statistically be one of the greatest upsets in sporting history. Upstart bookmaker LuckyRebel gives the Stars and Stripes a 65/1 shot to defy the odds. Their neighbours to the south, El Tri, sit at 80/1, while Canada trails significantly at 250/1. All three feel lightyears away from the 9/2 favourites and reigning European Champions, Spain.

For the hosts, the tournament is likely to end in tears rather than triumph. But history reminds us that some exits are far more painful than others. Which former hosts have endured the deepest scars? Let’s reopen the wounds of the past.

The Mineirazo: Germany Shatters the Brazilian Soul (2014)

Twelve years ago, the World Cup returned to its spiritual home: Brazil. The Seleção, five-time world champions, were not just hoping to win; they were expected to exorcise the ghosts of 1950 and lift their sixth crown on home turf. The weight of a nation rested on the slender shoulders of one man: Neymar.

At just 22, Neymar was already a global icon. He carried the team through the group stages, bagging braces against Croatia and Cameroon to secure top spot in Group A. But the dream began to unravel in the quarterfinals. Although Brazil defeated Colombia 2-1, it came at a devastating price. In the dying moments, a knee to the spine from Juan Zúñiga fractured Neymar’s vertebra, ruling him out of the tournament. Compounding the misery, captain and defensive rock Thiago Silva was suspended for the semifinal.

What followed in Belo Horizonte was not a defeat, but a collapse of historic proportions.

Without their creative spark - as well as their captain Thiago Silva - Brazil capitulated. In arguably the most shocking six minutes in World Cup history, Germany rattled in four quickfire goals to take a stunning 5-0 halftime lead. The tears were flowing freely in the Belo Horizonte grandstandsbefore Andre Schurrle piled on further misery in the second half, netting twice to secure a 7-1 victory. The result ended the Brazilian dream of lifting the trophy on home turf, and it did so in brutal fashion.

The Fortress Breached: Germany Falls to the Azzurri (2006)

While Germany inflicted the ultimate pain in 2014, they too know the sting of a heartbreaking home exit. In 2006, a rejuvenated Die Mannschaft, led by Jürgen Klinsmann, swept through the tournament on a wave of patriotism.

After a thrilling 4-2 opening win against Costa Rica, the Germans looked unstoppable. The strike partnership of Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski dismantled opponents, sweeping aside Sweden in the Round of 16. In the quarterfinals, goalkeeper Jens Lehmann became a national hero, consulting his famous "cheat sheet" to save penalties from Roberto Ayala and Esteban Cambiasso, which eliminated Argentina and propelled Germany into the final four.

The semifinal was set for Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion—a fortress where the German national team had never lost a match. They faced Italy, a team that had scraped through the earlier rounds but was peaking at the perfect moment under Marcello Lippi.

For 118 minutes, the match was a suffocating tactical gridlock. Italy’s impenetrable defence, anchored by Fabio Cannavaro and Gianluigi Buffon, repelled every German attack, while Andrea Pirlo dictated the tempo with the ball at his feet. As penalties loomed—a scenario favoring the Germans—disaster struck in the 119th minute.

Andrea Pirlo found Fabio Grosso in the box, who curled a stunning left-footed strike past Lehmann to break the deadlock. Minutes later, with Germany desperately pouring forward, Alessandro Del Piero finished a lethal counterattack to make it dramatic 2-0 win. The fortress had fallen, and with it, Germany's summer fairytale.