The semi-finals will take place on Thursday March 26 and the finals on Tuesday March 31 .
The winners of the four play-off finals qualify for the World Cup and complete the field of 16 European participants.
For the first time, 16 European teams will play at the World Cup owing to the 50 per cent increase in the size of the 2026 tournament. Of those, 12 places are reserved for UEFA qualifying group winners, with the other four coming via the play-offs.
The 12 group runners-up will be joined by four teams who finished outside the top two of their respective qualifying groups, who were the ‘best performers’ in the 2024/25 Nations League.
European play-off draw
Path A
Italy v Northern Ireland
Wales v Bosnia-Herzegovina*
Path B
Ukraine v Sweden*
Poland v Albania
Path C
Turkey v Romania
Slovakia v Kosovo*
Path D
Denmark v North Macedonia
Czech Republic v Republic of Ireland*
*The winner of this tie will host the final
The draw was also made for the inter-confederation play-offs, from which the final two teams for the 48-strong finals will come.
Intercontinental play-off draw
Semi-final: New Caledonia v Jamaica
Final: DR Congo v New Caledonia/Jamaica
Semi-final: Bolivia v Suriname
Final: Iraq v Bolivia/Suriname
When is the 2026 World Cup draw?
The draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place in Washington on December 5 at 5pm UK time (12pm local time).
US President Donald Trump will join FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the John F Kennedy Center – a performing arts venue where Trump is chairman – to decide the group stage fixtures.
Announcing the draw venue at the White House in August, Trump said the World Cup was “the biggest event in sports”, while Infantino declared the 104 matches would be like “104 Super Bowls”.
Forty-two teams have qualified for the 2026 World Cup so far, with a list below:
