World Cup playoffs guide: Format, available spots and potential matchups

The March FIFA break will be decisive for national teams still seeking a place at the 2026 World Cup. Both in UEFA and inter-confederation competition, this will be the final opportunity to secure qualification for the most important tournament in world soccer.

A total of six spots remain available for the World Cup. Four of them will be decided among national teams competing in Europe, while the remaining two will go to teams from other confederations facing off in Mexico.

The inter-confederation playoff is a tournament consisting of just four matches divided into two independent brackets. Pathway 1 will begin this Thursday at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, with the clash between New Caledonia and Jamaica.

The winner will then face DR Congo in the decisive match, to be played at the same venue next Tuesday. The team that prevails in that final will qualify for the World Cup, joining Group K alongside Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan.

Pathway 2 of the inter-confederation playoff will be played entirely at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey. There, the semifinal matchup will feature Bolivia against Suriname, while Iraq await in the final. The winner of this bracket will be placed in Group I at the World Cup, alongside France, Senegal and Norway.

PATHWAY 1:

• Semifinal: New Caledonia vs Jamaica

• Final: DR Congo vs semifinal winner

PATHWAY 2:

• Semifinal: Bolivia vs Suriname

• Final: Iraq vs semifinal winner

European playoffs explained

At UEFA level, the playoff format will differ from the inter-confederation structure. A total of 16 national teams have qualified for this stage, divided into four independent brackets, from which four teams will advance to the World Cup.

Unlike the inter-confederation playoffs, which are played entirely at neutral venues, in Europe each bracket includes teams with home advantage and others forced to play away. All ties are single-leg matches and are played at the venue of the team listed first.

Path A features Italy vs Northern Ireland and Wales vs Bosnia and Herzegovina. The winners of those ties will meet in the decisive match on March 31 (to be played in Cardiff or Zenica), with the winner joining Group B alongside Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.

The Path B semifinals include Ukraine vs Sweden and Poland vs Albania. The final will be played in Valencia (where Ukraine are hosting due to security reasons) or Solna. The winner of this bracket will join Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia in Group F of the World Cup.

In Path C, the semifinal matchups will be Turkey vs Romania and Slovakia vs Kosovo. In the final, the possible venues are Bratislava and Pristina. The winner of this path will join Group D alongside United States, Australia and Paraguay.

Finally, Path D features Denmark vs North Macedonia and Czech Republic vs Republic of Ireland. Prague and Dublin are the potential venues for the decisive match, which will grant the winner a place in Group A alongside Mexico, South Korea and South Africa.

PATH A:

• Italy vs Northern Ireland

• Wales vs Bosnia and Herzegovina

PATH B:

• Ukraine vs Sweden

• Poland vs Albania

PATH C:

• Turkey vs Romania

• Slovakia vs Kosovo

PATH D:

• Denmark vs North Macedonia

• Czech Republic vs Republic of Ireland