With 42 teams out of 48 already qualified for World Cup 2026, the final complexion of the biggest sporting event on the planet is nearly complete, but we must await the outcome of two different play-off tournaments to learn the identities of the final six qualifiers.
Four more teams will progress from the European (UEFA) qualification programme, with 16 teams battling it out for those coveted spots, while two will advance from the intercontinental play-offs, which will be held in the Mexican cities of Monterrey and Guadlajara.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about the World Cup 2026 play-offs series, including the fixtures, results and where to watch on TV.
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- World Cup 2026 European play-offs
- World Cup 2026 intercontinental play-offs
- Where to watch the World Cup 2026 play-offs
- Useful links
World Cup 2026 European play-offs fixtures & results
The European play-offs are divided into four pathways - A, B, C and D - and the draw to determine which teams entered which path was held on Thursday November 20, 2025. Among the teams who are fighting for their right to play in the 2026 tournament are four-time world champions Italy, who are aiming to reach their first World Cup in over a decade. Wales will look to join fellow British sides England and Scotland, while Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski is aiming to ensure that Poland cross the Atlantic next year.
All eight semi-final fixtures are single-legged, winner-takes-all ties and each of those games will be played on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The four finals are then scheduled to be played five days later, on Tuesday March 31, 2026.
Path A
| Round | Date | Fixture | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-finals | March 26, 2026 | Wales vs Bosnia-Herzegovina | TBC |
| March 26, 2026 | Italy vs Northern Ireland | TBC | |
| Final | March 31, 2026 | Wales/Bosnia vs Italy/Northern Ireland | TBC |
Path B
| Round | Date | Fixture | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-finals | March 26, 2026 | Ukraine vs Sweden | TBC |
| March 26, 2026 | Poland vs Albania | TBC | |
| Final | March 31, 2026 | Ukraine/Sweden vs Poland/Albania | TBC |
Path C
| Round | Date | Fixture | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-finals | March 26, 2026 | Slovakia vs Kosovo | TBC |
| March 26, 2026 | Turkey vs Romania | TBC | |
| Final | March 31, 2026 | Slovakia/Kosovo vs Turkey/Romania | TBC |
Path D
| Round | Date | Fixture | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-finals | March 26, 2026 | Czechia vs Ireland | TBC |
| March 26, 2026 | Denmark vs North Macedonia | TBC | |
| Final | March 31, 2026 | Czechia/Ireland vs Denmark/North Macedonia | TBC |
World Cup 2026 intercontinental play-offs fixtures & results
As the name suggests, the intercontinental play-offs will see teams from different continental federations face off against each other, with two different pathways ultimately yielding two qualifiers.
The draw, which also took place on Thursday November 20, 2025, put OFC representatives New Caledonia against CONCACAF team Jamaica in one of the semi-finals. The winner of that game will advance to the final where they will play African outfit DR Congo.
In the other pathway, South American side Bolivia was drawn against Caribbean representatives Suriname. Whoever comes out on top between those two will contest a decisive game against Iraq.
Pathway 1
| Round | Date | Fixture | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-final | March 26, 2026 | New Caledonia vs Jamaica | TBC |
| Final | March 31, 2026 | DR Congo vs New Caledonia/Jamaica | TBC |
Pathway 2
| Round | Date | Fixture | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-final | March 26, 2026 | Bolivia vs Suriname | TBC |
| Final | March 31, 2026 | Iraq vs Bolivia/Suriname | TBC |
Where to watch the World Cup 2026 play-offs
| Country | TV channels |
|---|---|
| United States | FOX, Telemundo, fubo |
| United Kingdom | BBC, S4C, Amazon Prime Video |
| Canada | TSN |
| Mexico | Univision |
United States
In the United States, World Cup qualification play-off games will be available to watch across the FOX (English) and Telemundo (Spanish) networks. Those channels are available through the streaming service fubo, which includes a variety of wide-reaching packages - read our review here.
United Kingdom
If you are planning to tune in from the United Kingdom, a number of World Cup qualification play-off games - certainly the fixtures involving Wales and Northern Ireland - will be broadcast on the the BBC and S4C (Wales only). A selection of World Cup qualification games have also been available to stream live on Amazon Prime Video.