Here we are: in five days’ time, we’ll know all the European teams that will be competing in the 2026 World Cup. Of the 16 teams still in the running, including Italy, four will go through – the winners of the four four-team groups that make up the play-offs. Let’s take a look at how they work.
AFPTranslated by
UEFA World Cup Play-offs: how they work and all the fixtures scheduled for the semi-finals
THE PLAYOFF LINE-UP
The number of places available for Europe has increased from 13 to 16: as the qualifiers are organised into 12 groups, the winners of each group secure direct qualification for the World Cup; the others must fight on, hoping for a last-minute spot. And this is where the play-offs come into play.
The remaining four places available for UEFA are allocated through a play-off system, which represents the last chance for those who failed to finish top of their group.
Sixteen teams take part in the play-offs. The line-up is as follows:
- the 12 runners-up from the qualifying groups;
-four teams from the Nations League, selected from the winners or, failing that, the highest-placed teams in the various leagues that have not already secured direct qualification or via second place.
Among these is Italy, once again called upon to play for everything in a do-or-die situation.
HOW THE PLAYOFFS WORK
The 16 teams are divided into four groups (Path A, B, C and D), each comprising four national teams. The draw is conducted taking into account the FIFA rankings and the teams’ qualification route (qualifiers or Nations League), creating four pots:
- the top-ranked teams;
-the second-best;
-the other teams that qualified from the groups;
-the teams repêchaged from the Nations League.
The draw determines the four mini-tournaments, each offering a place at the World Cup. Each path is a sort of single-elimination knockout tournament: to qualify for the World Cup, two wins in two matches are therefore required – on 26 March in the semi-final away to the highest-ranked team, and on 31 March in the final away to the winner of the draw. Whoever loses is out, with no appeal. The winners will immediately know their opponents in the World Cup:
-The winner of Path A (Italy’s path) will be drawn into Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland
-The winner of Path B will be in Group F with the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia
-The winner of Path C will be in Group D with the USA, Paraguay and Australia
-The winner of Path D will be in Group A with Mexico, South Africa and South Korea
THE SEMI-FINAL MATCHES (26 MARCH)
Path A
Semi-final 1: Italy v Northern Ireland, Bergamo
Semi-final 2: Wales vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cardiff
Path B
Semi-final 3: Ukraine vs Sweden, Valencia
Semi-final 4: Poland vs Albania, Warsaw
Path C
Semi-final 5: Turkey vs Romania
Semi-final 6: Slovakia vs Kosovo
Path D
Semi-final 7: Denmark vs North Macedonia
Semi-final 8: Czech Republic vs Republic of Ireland
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