Two goals from star striker Kylian Mbappe helped send two-time champions France to the 2026 World Cup with a 4-0 home win against Ukraine on Thursday.
Midfielder Michael Olise and substitute forward Hugo Ekitike added the other goals in a dominant second half from France, the World Cup runner-ups in 2022.
Captain Mbappe coolly chipped in from the spot 10 minutes into the second half at the Parc des Princes and the impressive Olise doubled their lead on 76 minutes.
Mbappe then struck again and Ekitike swept in a first goal for his country as France got the win they required to clinch their spot at the 2026 finals in North America.
With one game still to come in Azerbaijan on Sunday, France have an unassailable six-point lead over both Iceland and Ukraine at the top of European qualifying Group D.
France maintain their record of having made it to every edition of the tournament since missing out on a place in the United States in 1994.
Ukraine and Iceland meet each other on Sunday in a shootout to decide who continues on into the playoffs next March.
Elsewhere, Ireland stunned Portugal 2-0 to keep their narrow path to next year's tournament and make the Nations League winners wait to book an automatic spot on a night where their captain Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off.
Ireland, who have not qualified for a major tournament in a decade and last reached a World Cup in 2002, needed at least a draw to keep their qualification hopes alive and a first-half Troy Parrott double capped their best performance in years.
Ireland still need a win in Budapest on Sunday to claim a spot in next March's playoffs after second-placed Hungary won 1-0 in Armenia. A draw at home to bottom-placed Armenia is likely the most Portugal need to secure automatic qualification.
But they will have to do it without Ronaldo, whose initial yellow card for lashing out with an elbow to the back of Ireland defender Dara O'Shea was upgraded after review to his first-ever red card for Portugal in his 226th appearance.
Ronaldo now risks a two-game ban, which would see him missing the first match of the World Cup, if Portugal qualifies.
Portugal were moments away from securing their seventh successive World Cup appearance a month ago before a stoppage-time Hungarian equalizer in Lisbon.
On Thursday, they fell behind on 17 minutes after Liam Scales headed a fizzed-in corner back across goal and Parrott could not miss.
Well worth the lead, Ireland went inches from doubling it when Chiedozie Ogbene struck the post with a fine effort before in-form AZ Alkmaar striker Parrott found the bottom corner with a brilliant finish from similar distance just before the break.
Ireland, who defended gallantly in the reverse fixture before going down to a late goal, did not require a repeat once Ronaldo received his marching orders on the hour, sarcastically clapping the delighted home fans as he departed.
Portugal, who are assured at least a playoff spot, are two points clear of Hungary at the top of Group F with a superior goal difference. The Irish are one point further back.
Earlier, Erling Haaland scored twice as Norway moved even closer to qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1998 by beating Estonia 4-1 in Oslo.
The win virtually secures a spot for the high-scoring Norwegians in next year's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Italy kept alive their faint hopes of automatic qualification for the World Cup with their fifth consecutive victory, as late goals from Gianluca Mancini and Francesco Pio Esposito led them to a 2-0 win away against Moldova.
The result lifted Italy to 18 points, three behind Norway, with the two sides meeting on the final qualifying matchday on Sunday. The Azzurri now face what looks an impossible task, needing to win and overturn Norway's goal difference of 17.
Moldova remain winless and sit bottom with one point.
Superb goals by Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze secured a routine 2-0 win for England over Serbia to make it seven wins from seven games in their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Saka dispatched a clinical volley in the 28th minute to open the scoring and with many of the crowd already departed, substitute Eze curled home in the 90th minute.
With England having already qualified for next year's finals as Group K winners, it was a rather tepid clash with defeat ending Serbia's hopes of grabbing a playoff spot.
England have 21 points from their seven games and have yet to concede a goal heading into Sunday's final group game away to Albania who guaranteed second place and a playoff spot with a 1-0 win in Andorra.
