This is how the FIFA 2026 World Cup play-offs look: Italy avoids past traumas

It will not be until the next window in March that the final line-up will be completed with the 48 teams that will make up the most exuberant World Cup of all time.

However, the die has already been cast and the 22 teams that earned a second chance in the European and intercontinental play-offs already know what path they will have to take to claim one of the six tickets still up for grabs.

European play-offs

Four of them will be shared among the 16 teams that qualify for the European play-offs , divided into four different pots. The 12 teams with the best FIFA ranking that finished second in their respective qualifying groups were placed in the first three pots. The fourth pot was made up of the four teams that qualified via the Nations League. It is worth noting that the teams in pots 1 and 2 will play the semi-final at home. However, all those in Pot 1 will have to play away from home if they reach the final.

This is what the European play-offs look like:

Key 1:

Key 2:

Key 3:

Key 4:

Wales, Poland and Denmark were the only three teams that were present at last year's World Cup in Qatar. However, all the focus was on Italy's theoretical rivals , who will face their third consecutive play-off... and the precedents were not very encouraging. No representative of the Italian delegation, apart from Marco Materazzi (2006 champion) who was present at the draw, wanted to see Sweden (who eliminated them in 2018) or North Macedonia (who knocked them out of Qatar). Both were placed in Pot 4. Finally, fate listened to their prayers and they will face Northern Ireland in the semi-finals. They were less fortunate in a theoretical final, where they will face Wales or Bosnia... as visitors. Sweden, after a poor qualifying campaign, also had many eyes on them. Having dodged the Italian bullet, they will face Ukraine in the semi-finals. The winner of this match will play the final at home. The other side of the draw is completed by Poland and Albania. On paper, this is the most evenly matched tie drawn by the draw. Turkey appears to be the overwhelming favorite to take the third ticket and return to its first World Cup since Korea and Japan 2022, where it reached the semifinals. However, its semifinal pairing (Romania) looks more complicated than the winner of the match between Slovakia and Kosovo. It was not going to be all plain sailing, as they would play the final away from home.

The final bracket will see Denmark and North Macedonia on one side, and Czech Republic and Republic of Ireland on the other. Denmark, after the 'setback' suffered in the last two rounds of the qualifying phase against Belarus and Scotland, is under pressure. Especially considering that they could play in their third consecutive World Cup for the first time in their history. However, they must be aware that they will also have to play the final away from Parken.

Intercontinental play-off

The intercontinental play-off, which will award the remaining two places, was contested by a total of six teams from five different continents. As in Europe, everything will be decided during the international break scheduled for next March. The difference is that both the semi-finals and both finals will be played in Mexico. Specifically, in Guadalajara and Monterrey.

This is what the intercontinental play-off looks like:

Key 1:

Key 2:

According to the rules, DR Congo and Iraq went directly to each of the finals as they were the two highest ranked teams in the FIFA rankings. Their respective opponents, therefore, would come from the semi-finals where Bolivia (CONMEBOL), New Caledonia (Oceania), Jamaica (CONCACAF) and Suriname (CONCACAF) were. DR Congo, after overcoming Nigeria in the final of the African playoffs against all odds, will wait in the final for the winner of the clash between New Caledonia and Jamaica. Meanwhile, Iraq will face the winner between Bolivia and Suriname. Therefore, New Caledonia and Suriname, the only two teams that have not previously participated in a World Cup, will go on different sides of the draw.