2026 World Cup Playoff Draw: European and Intercontinental Matchups Announced

On November 20, an official draw for the 2026 World Cup playoffs was held in Zurich. As a result, all matchups for both the European qualification playoffs and the intercontinental playoffs were finalized.

European Playoffs: Four Tickets to the 2026 World Cup

The teams are divided into four paths — A, B, C, and D. Each participant will play two matches: a semifinal and a final. The winners of each path will qualify for the World Cup.

The playoffs will take place at the end of March 2026:

• March 26 — semifinals

• March 31 — finals

Path A

• Italy – Northern Ireland
• Wales – Bosnia and Herzegovina

Path B

• Ukraine – Sweden
• Poland – Albania

Path C

• Türkiye – Romania
• Slovakia – Kosovo

Path D

• Denmark – North Macedonia
• Czechia – Republic of Ireland

The four winners of the paths will advance to the 2026 World Cup.

Intercontinental Playoffs: Two Remaining Spots

Four national teams will take part in the intercontinental playoff draw. Each will play one match for the right to reach the final, where the World Cup spot will be decided.

The draw produced the following matchups:

• DR Congo — winner of New Caledonia vs Jamaica
• Iraq — winner of Bolivia vs Suriname

The two winners of the intercontinental finals will also qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The matches will be held in Mexico shortly before the tournament begins.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will take place in the USA, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19.