Breaking down playoff system with last 6 slots to be decided, 22 teams still in contention| Football News
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first of its kind, a 48-team royal rumble in North America, the biggest the tournament has ever been in its history. 39 teams, ranging from the tiny first-timers Curacao all the way to five-time champion juggernauts Brazil, will begin booking their airplane tickets to join the trio of hosts USA, Canada, and Mexico later this year.
22 teams remain in with a chance of making it to the World Cup Finals this summer, but only six spots remain on offer. This fortnight, those teams will fight it out to see who will get the chance to play on the grandest stage.
Here is a breakdown of what to expect in this international break, where four slots will be decided in the final UEFA qualifying round, and a further two in the inter-confederation qualification playoffs.
Inter-Confederation Playoffs – Six teams fight for two slots
Six teams from far and wide fly into Mexico this week in the first truly global round of the World Cup. The inter-confederation playoff expands to include two teams from this edition onwards, and two different pathways hold the key.
Of the six teams, the two with the highest FIFA rankings – Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq – have earned byes to the final. To join them, there will be a pair of semifinals: New Caledonia vs Jamaica, and Bolivia vs Suriname.
The winner of New Caledonia vs Jamaica will play against the DRC in Guadalajara, the winner of which will then proceed to the World Cup finals – similarly, the winner of Bolivia and Suriname will face Iraq, this time in Monterrey. Those matches will be ninety of the most nervous minutes that any of these players will likely face in their careers.
Semifinal 1: New Caledonia vs Jamaica, 26 March, Guadalajara
Semifinal 2: Bolivia vs Suriname, 26 March, Monterrey
Final 1: Democratic Republic of Congo vs SF1 winner, 31 March, Guadalajara
Final 2: Iraq vs SF2 winner, 31 March, Monterrey
Winner of both finals progress to the FIFA World Cup.
UEFA Qualification Playoffs – Sixteen teams alive, but only four make it through
UEFA is the confederation with the greatest representation at the World Cup finals. While all the big names have already made it through, there are still four slots left to decide, and that will come down to the playoff bracket.
The teams participating in this playoff system are a mixture of the twelve group runners-up from the first round of qualification, plus the four highest-ranking UEFA Nations League placers who didn’t already qualify.
The sixteen teams in play are split into four pathways, each of which will see a semifinal and finals round – unlike the inter-continental playoffs, with no byes in play.
So the deal is simple for teams like Italy, Denmark, and Turkey, all of whom will believe they are good enough to make it to the finals: win twice, and play at the World Cup. Lose once, and watch from home.
Path A
SF A1: Wales vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cardiff
SF A2: Italy vs Northern Ireland, Bergamo
Path A Final: Wales/Bosnia vs Italy/N. Ireland, Cardiff or Zenica
Path B
SF B1: Ukraine vs Sweden, Valencia
SF B2: Poland vs Albania, Warsaw
Path B Final: Ukraine/Sweden vs Poland/Albania, Valencia or Stockholm
Path C
SF C1: Turkey vs Romania, Istanbul
SF C2: Slovakia vs Kosovo, Bratislava
Path C Final: Turkey/Romania vs Slovakia/Kosovo, Pristina or Bratislava
Path D
SF D1: Denmark vs North Macedonia, Copenhagen
SF D2: Czech Republic vs Republic of Ireland, Prague
Path D Final: Denmark/N. Macedonia vs Czechia/Ireland, Dublin or Prague
Every semifinal will take place on 26 March, while the final round of fixtures will take place on 31 March. Come April 1, all 48 teams at the World Cup will be set.
