Six places at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be decided in March when both the European play-offs and the inter-confederation FIFA Play-Off Tournament take place. The draws for these crucial fixtures were conducted on Thursday in Switzerland, confirming the paths teams must navigate to reach the finals.

Italy emerged as one of the major talking points from the European draw. The four-time world champions received what many consider a favourable route but will have to win their play-off final away from home if they progress. Denmark also face a potentially difficult away final, while Sweden would host their final should they overcome Ukraine on the road in their semi-final.

In the FIFA Play-Off Tournament, Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq were handed byes straight to their respective finals as the top-seeded teams. They now await the winners of the semi-finals in March. Full details from both draws can be found below.

European Play-Off Tournament

The European play-offs consist of four separate pathways. Each pathway contains four teams competing in one-legged semi-finals and a one-off final. Semi-final hosts were determined by seeding, while home advantage for the finals was decided via the draw. The four pathway winners will secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Semi-finals: March 26

Finals: March 31

Path A

Semi-final 1: Italy vs Northern Ireland

Semi-final 2: Wales vs Bosnia & Herzegovina

Final A: Winners of Semi-final 2 (hosts) vs Winners of Semi-final 1

Path B

Semi-final 3: Ukraine vs Sweden

Semi-final 4: Poland vs Albania

Final B: Winners of Semi-final 3 (hosts) vs Winners of Semi-final 4

Path C

Semi-final 5: Turkey vs Romania

Semi-final 6: Slovakia vs Kosovo

Final C: Winners of Semi-final 6 (hosts) vs Winners of Semi-final 5

Path D

Semi-final 7: Denmark vs North Macedonia

Semi-final 8: Czech Republic vs Republic of Ireland

Final D: Winners of Semi-final 8 (hosts) vs Winners of Semi-final 7

FIFA Play-Off Tournament

The FIFA Play-Off Tournament features six teams from outside Europe and will be held entirely in Mexico in March 2026, with matches played in Guadalajara and Monterrey. Two of the six nations—D.R. Congo and Iraq—received byes to their respective finals as the highest-ranked teams. The winners of the two finals will qualify for the World Cup.

Pathway 1

Semi-final: New Caledonia (OFC) vs Jamaica (CONCACAF)

Final: D.R. Congo (CAF) vs Winner of Match 1

Pathway 2

Semi-final: Bolivia (CONMEBOL) vs Suriname (CONCACAF)

Final: Iraq (AFC) vs Winner of Match 2