In a stunning turn of events sure to terrify bookies and confuse marine biologists, the International Football Association (FIFA) confirmed Friday that the 2026 World Cup will include not just underdog football teams but, due to a clerical error, actual schools of minnow fish from the Baltic Sea.

“Honestly, we should have clarified what we meant by ‘minnows,'” said FIFA official Lars Brünn, furiously googling ‘how do fish play soccer.’ “But the fish’s application was formatted better than Italy’s, so who am I to judge?”

The Baltic Minnows, currently ranked 209th in the latest FIFA rankings, clinched their spot after a nail-biting 0-0 draw with the Faroe Islands and a decisive victory over a distracted group of Norwegian toddlers. Their home coach, Beluga Fez, credits a strict training regimen of swimming in tight circles and ‘outpacing many nets.’

“We’re just taking it one splash at a time,” Fez told reporters, blowing a motivational bubble. “The lads are in peak condition, as far as cold-blooded vertebrates go.”

Not all are pleased. “This is a slap in the face to the sport,” complained legendary pundit Gary Lineker. “At least when Liechtenstein qualified, they had legs.”

FIFA has assured fans that the tournament will be held partly on land, and partly in an Olympic-size aquarium to ensure fair play. Sources confirm that Adidas is already at work designing the first water-resistant football kit.

Tickets for the opening match, Minnows vs. Brazil, are expected to sell out among aquatic life enthusiasts and confused sushi chefs alike.