These are the last six teams to qualify for the 2026 World Cup through the FIFA playoff tournament and UEFA qualifiers
Italy headline a chaotic playoff week as the last six teams confirm their spots for this summer’s World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada.
Wall charts for the World Cup 2026 are being printed across the globe as you read this following Tuesday’s inter-confederation and UEFA playoff finals, which confirmed the last six of the 48 countries competing in this summer’s tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Italy suffer shock elimination
Italy’s penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina was the biggest story of the night and means the four-time World Cup winners will miss a third successive edition of the tournament.
Elsewhere in Europe, Czechia and Türkiye also booked their spots, while Sweden, who reached the playoffs thanks to their UEFA Nations League performance, somehow managed to qualify despite not winning a single qualifier.
UEFA playoff finals: results
- Path A: Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 Italy (Bosnia and Herzegovina win on penalties)
- Path B: Sweden 3-2 Poland
- Path C: Kosovo 0-1 Türkiye
- Path D: Czechia 2-2 Denmark (Czechia win on penalties)
Those results directly impact the three co-hosts. The United States will face Türkiye in Group D, Mexico will meet Czechia in Group A, and Canada will take on Bosnia and Herzegovina in Group B.
Inter-confederation playoff places decided
Two more teams secured qualification via the inter-confederation playoff finals, played later on Tuesday.
Iraq qualified for just their second-ever World Cup, and their first since 1986, after defeating Bolivia in Monterrey. Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo will appear at the tournament for the very first time after beating Jamaica in Guadalajara.
The African nation had previously competed as Zaire in 1974.
Inter-confederation playoff finals: results
- Path 1: DR Congo 1-0 Jamaica (after extra time)
- Path 2: Iraq 2-1 Bolivia
Confirmed 2026 World Cup groups
- Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czechia
- Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland, Qatar
- Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
- Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Türkiye
- Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curaçao
- Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Sweden
- Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
- Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia
- Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
- Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
- Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, DR Congo
- Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana
Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.