Football: FIFA World Cup 2026 play-off tournament and European play-offs - full preview, schedule, and how to watch live

The road to the FIFA World Cup 2026 is almost complete, but six places are still up for grabs at the men’s showpiece international football tournament.

Between 26 March and 1 April 2026, the final six qualification berths will be decided across the European play-offs and FIFA’s Play-Off Tournament in Mexico. Four of those places will come through UEFA’s single-leg knockout paths, while the remaining two will be settled by a new six-team intercontinental competition featuring Bolivia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname.

Here’s everything you need to know about the matches, the format and how to watch the action live.

How do the European play-offs work?

The European play-offs will decide four of the final six places at the World Cup, with 16 teams still in contention to qualify.

The format is straightforward but unforgiving. The 16 teams have been split into four separate paths, each consisting of two single-leg semi-finals and one single-leg final. The winner of each path will qualify for the World Cup.

That means teams must win two one-off matches to book their place at the tournament. The higher-ranked sides host the semi-finals, while the hosts for the finals were determined by a draw made in November 2025.

Which teams are in the European play-offs?

The 16 teams in the European play-offs are made up of 12 runners-up from the European qualifiers group stage and four sides that qualified through the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League.

European qualifiers group runners-up: Slovakia, Kosovo, Denmark, Ukraine, Türkiye, Republic of Ireland, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Wales, Albania and Czechia.

UEFA Nations League qualifiers: Romania, Sweden, North Macedonia and Northern Ireland.

The Nations League places were given to the best-ranked group winners that did not finish in the top two of their World Cup qualifying group, giving them an alternative route into the play-offs.

What is the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament?

Alongside the European play-offs, FIFA’s Play-Off Tournament will decide the final two places at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The six-team event will be staged in Mexico, with matches taking place in Guadalajara and Monterrey.

The tournament brings together Bolivia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname, offering one last opportunity to reach the World Cup through an intercontinental play-off route.

The format is straightforward. The two highest-ranked teams in the FIFA World Ranking at the time of the November 2025 draw progressed directly to the pathway finals. That means the Democratic Republic of the Congo await the winner of New Caledonia against Jamaica in Pathway 1, while Iraq will face the winner of Bolivia against Suriname in Pathway 2.

The winner of each pathway will qualify for the World Cup, completing the final line-up for the tournament.

Click here to read article