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Alexi Lalas explains the World Cup Draw
FOX analyst Alexi Lalas breaks down the World Cup draw and what to expect on Friday, Dec. 5.
We know 42 of the 48 nations who will compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the tournament's field won't be finalized until March.
Four European teams and two teams from other parts of the world will compete for a chance to play in the tournament.
Here's what you need to know about the two playoffs to decide the final six teams.
Who's in the mix?
MILAN, ITALY - NOVEMBER 16: Alessandro Bastoni of Italy (L) and Davide Frattesi of Italy (R) defend against Erling Haaland of Norway (C) during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italyand Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 i …
- Italy (UEFA)
- Northern Ireland (UEFA)
- Wales (UEFA)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (UEFA)
- Ukraine (UEFA)
- Sweden (UEFA)
- Poland (UEFA)
- Albania (UEFA)
- Turkey (UEFA)
- Romania (UEFA)
- Slovakia (UEFA)
- Kosovo (UEFA)
- Denmark (UEFA)
- North Macedonia (UEFA)
- Czechia (UEFA)
- Republic of Ireland (UEFA)
- Iraq (AFC)
- DR Congo (CAF)
- Bolivia (CONMEBOL)
- New Caledonia (OFC)
- Jamaica (CONCACAF)
- Suriname (CONCACAF)
European Playoff
(Courtesy: UEFA)
The UEFA playoffs in March 2026 will decide four more places at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The playoffs will include the 12 group runners-up from the European qualifiers, plus four Nations League group winners who didn’t finish in the top two of their qualifying groups. Those 16 teams will be divided into four paths, each featuring semifinals and a final — all played in single-leg matches.
Semi-final games will be held on March 26, 2026.
Winners of those games will advance to the finals on March 31, 2026.
Semifinals
Path A
- Italy vs. Northern Ireland
- Wales vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
Path B
- Ukraine vs. Sweden
- Poland vs. Albania
Path C
- Turkey vs. Romania
- Slovakia vs. Kosovo
Path D
- Denmark vs. North Macedonia
- Czechia vs. Republic of Ireland
Finals
Path A
- Winner of Wales-Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Winner of Italy-Northern Ireland
Path B
- Winner of Ukraine-Sweden vs. Winner of Poland-Albania
Path C
- Winner of Slovakia-Kosovo vs. Winner of Turkey-Romania
Path D
- Winner of Czechia-Republic of Ireland vs. Winner of Denmark-North Macedonia
2026 World Cup Intercontinental Playoffs
(Source: FIFA)
Beyond UEFA’s playoffs, FIFA will run a six-team intercontinental playoff to decide the final two World Cup berths. The field includes:
- One team from each confederation: AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL, OFC
- Two teams from CONCACAF (as the host confederation for 2026)
The two highest-ranked teams are seeded into the "finals." The other four play single-match first-round games; those two winners face the seeds, and the two match winners qualify for the World Cup. It’s staged in North America as a tournament-style test event ahead of 2026.
The two semi-final games will be held on March 26, 2026.
The winner of those games will move on to play in the finals on March 31, 2026.
All games will be staged in Mexico, at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, and Estadio BBVA in Monterrey.
Semifinals
Path A
- New Caledonia vs. Jamaica
Path B
- Bolivia vs. Suriname
Finals
Path A
- DR Congo vs. Winner of New Caledonia-Jamaica
Path B
- Iraq vs. Winner of Bolivia-Suriname
The Source: Information in this article comes from FIFA and UEFA.