2026 World Cup Play-offs: format, date, and which countries will participate

The World Cup is 73 days away, with the 2026 tournament the biggest ever finals . 

Co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, 48 teams will compete for the game's most prestigious prize in a bumper month of action that kicks off on June 11. 

Before we can get there, though, there are still six places still up for grabs at the tournament, which will be filled by next week via the World Cup play-offs.

DAZN News   guides you through the format and who's playing who as they look to book their place at the 2026 World Cup. 

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2026 World Cup Play-offs: How they work and format

The 2026 World Cup play-offs will feature an expanded format due to the increased number of participating teams. FIFA has implemented a play-off route involving 18 teams to determine the final six spots for the World Cup.

Six teams will participate in the intercontinental playoff and 12 in the European playoff. The tournament will be played as a mini single-elimination competition, with one-leg matches.

Intercontinental Playoff

• Bolivia
• Suriname
• Jamaica
• New Caledonia
• DR Congo
• Iraq

UEFA Playoff

• Turkey
• Slovakia
• Kosovo
• Denmark
• Ukraine
• Ireland
• Poland
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Italy
• Wales
• Albania
• Czech Republic

2026 World Cup Play-offs: matches, teams, and participating countries

The World Cup playoff draw took place on November 20 in Zurich, Switzerland.

Below are the intercontinental and European play-off matchups for qualification to the 2026 World Cup.

Intercontinental Playoff

Semi-finals (March 26, 2025)

• Bolivia 2-1 Suriname
• Jamaica 1-0 New Caledonia

Finals (March 31, 2025)

• Democratic Republic of the Congo vs Jamaica
• Iraq vs Bolivia 

UEFA Play-off

Semifinals (March 26, 2025)

Path 1

• Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland
• Wales 1-1 (2-4) Bosnia and Herzegovina

Path 2

• Ukraine 0-3 Sweden
• Poland 2-1 Albania

Path 3

• Turkey 2-1 Romania
• Slovakia 3-4 Kosovo

Path 4

• Denmark 4-0 North Macedonia
• Czech Republic 2-2 (4-3p) Republic of Ireland

Finals (March 31, 2025)

Path 1

• Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy

Path 2

• Sweden vs Poland

Path 3

• Kosovo vs Turkey

Path 4

• Czech Republic vs  Denmark

2026 World Cup in Mexico, United States and Canada: Groups, Schedule and Dates

GROUP A

• Mexico
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Winner of Playoff D

GROUP B

• Canada
• Winner of Playoff A
• Qatar
• Switzerland

GROUP C

• Brazil
• Morocco
• Haiti
• Scotland

GROUP D

• United States
• Paraguay
• Australia
• Winner of Playoff C

GROUP E

• Germany
• Curacao
• Ivory Coast
• Ecuador

GROUP F

• Netherlands
• Japan
• Winner of Playoff B
• Tunisia

GROUP G

• Belgium
• Egypt
• Iran
• New Zealand

GROUP H

• Spain
• Cape Verde
• Saudi Arabia
• Uruguay

GROUP I

• France
• Senegal
• Winner of Playoff 2
• Norway

GROUP J

• Argentina
• Algeria
• Austria
• Jordan

GROUP K

• Portugal
• Winner of Playoff 1
• Uzbekistan
• Colombia

GROUP L

• England
• Croatia
• Ghana
• Panama

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