Which teams will play the qualifying play-offs for the 2026 World Cup, and when will the draw take place?

The FIFA World Cup qualification process is nearing its end, with 34 teams having already secured their ticket for the 2026 edition of the quadrennial event to be held in the US, Canada and Mexico next year.

However, there are still teams that have to wait anxiously and fight for a place to qualify for the World Cup next summer.

There will be 16 European teams advancing to the play-offs, which will take place in March next year, while the World Cup draw will take place on December 5.

Which European teams are currently in the play-offs?

Confirmed second place in the group (7/12): Italy, Ukraine, Ireland, Albania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland.

Confirmed Nations League teams (3/4): Romania, Sweden, Northern Ireland.

How will the play-offs go?

• The 16 teams are divided into four pots of four teams.

• Pot A to Pot C are determined based on the FIFA rankings, while Pot D contains teams that have qualified through the Nations League.

• Each country will be two wins away (semi-finals and finals) from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

When do the European play-offs take place?

The play-off matches will be held in March 2026, with the semi-finals on March 26 and the finals on March 31.

When will the draw for the intercontinental play-offs take place and which teams have already qualified?

The intercontinental draw will take place on November 20 and six teams will participate (one from CONMEBOL, one from Oceania, one from Asia, one from Africa and two from CONCACAF).

Of the six, three teams have already been decided:

• Bolivia

• New Caledonia

• DR Congo

**Data updated on November 18, 08:00 IST

Published on November 18, 2025