There are less than three months to go until the start of World Cup 2026 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, although only 42 of the 48 participants are known at the time of writing. The March FIFA window will decide the six remaining countries that will take part in “the greatest show on Earth” this summer.

Of the six spots left, four will go to European teams, 16 began taking part in March’s UEFA playoffs, although only eight now remain.

How the UEFA playoffs work

Sixteen European nations were split into four playoff paths (A to D), each with four teams. Each path features a single-leg semifinal followed by a one-off final. The winner of each path will qualify for World Cup 2026.

UEFA playoff semifinals: Results

Path A

• Wales 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnia and Herzegovina win on penalties)
• Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland

Path B

• Ukraine 1-3 Sweden
• Poland 2-1 Albania

Path C

• Slovakia 3-4 Kosovo
• Turkey 1-0 Romania

Path D

• Czechia 2-2 Republic of Ireland (Czechia win on penalties)
• Denmark 4-0 North Macedonia

UEFA playoff finals

Path A

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy

Path B

Sweden vs Poland

Path C

Kosovo vs Turkey

Path D

Czech Republic vs Denmark

The finals take place on Tuesday, March 31. For each path, the team listed first will host the final.

World Cup 2026 group placement for UEFA playoff winners

Here’s where the winners will land in the World Cup groups:

• Path A winner (Bosnia and Herzegovina or Italy) goes into Group B alongside Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland.
• Path B winner (Sweden or Poland) goes into Group F alongside Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia.
• Path C winner (Kosovo or Turkey) goes into Group D alongside the United States, Paraguay, and Australia.
• Path D winner (Czech Republic or Denmark) goes into Group A alongside Mexico, South Africa, and South Korea.

Intercontinental playoffs

Two intercontinental playoffs will also determine the final two World Cup spots, which began with six teams from five different confederations. Four countries are still in the hunt after Thursday’s action.

Pathway 1

Included one team each from OFC (Oceania), CONCACAF (North America, Central America, and the Caribbean), and CAF (Africa).

Jamaica defeated New Caledonia in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Thursday, March 26 and will now take on DR Congo in the same city on Tuesday, March 31, for a World Cup spot.

Pathway 2

Included one team from CONMEBOL (South America), another from CONCACAF, and one from AFC (Asia).

Bolivia beat Suriname in Monterrey, Mexico, on Thursday, March 26 and will face Iraq for the final World Cup spot.

Iraq is expected to participate as planned, although there has been speculation that they could replace Iran if Iran follows through on its threat to boycott the tournament over its conflict with the United States.

Iran’s request to move its three World Cup games from the U.S. to Mexico was rejected by FIFA. No formal decision has been made, with Iraq’s playoff just days away.

World Cup 2026 group placement for intercontinental winners

• Pathway 1 winner (Jamaica or DR Congo) joins Group K alongside Portugal, Uzbekistan, and Colombia.
• Pathway 2 winner (Bolivia or Iraq) joins Group K alongside France, Senegal, and Norway.

Key date for fans

In theory, the full 48-team lineup will be revealed by March 31, although uncertainty over Iran’s participation may give FIFA a serious headache just days before qualification concludes.

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