If we now know most of the forty-eight teams that will take part in the next Football World Cup, there are still six places to be taken for the tournament held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July 2026. They will be allocated at the end of March 2026 after the play-offs, the draw for which took place at the headquarters of the International Federation (FIFA), Thursday 20 November, in Zurich (Switzerland). The ceremony was hosted by Swiss actress Mélanie Winiger, in the presence of FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Manolo Zubiria, director of World Cup operations.
Two tickets for this competition will be awarded during the intercontinental play-offs between the surviving teams from different confederations, except Europe. Matches will be held starting March 23 in Guadalajara and Monterrey, Mexico. Six selections are underway: Bolivia for South America (Conmebol), New Caledonia for Oceania (OFC), Iraq for Asia (AFC), Democratic Republic of the Congo for Africa (CAF), and Jamaica and Suriname for Central America and the Caribbean (Concacaf). Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq, the teams with the highest FIFA rankings – 56 eache and 58e –, the winner of both will wait for the final “semifinals” between the other four teams.
For this draw, Christian Karembeu — originally from New Caledonia and 1998 world champion with France — was present. Reverse in “lane number 1”New Caledonia will face Jamaica. The winner of this match will then challenge the Democratic Republic of Congo to validate their ticket. There “lane number 2” will see Bolivia face Suriname, before the winner of the selection challenges Iraq.
The top seeds will play at home
The other four tickets are reserved for European representatives. There, sixteen training courses are involved. Twelve of them finished second in their group in qualifying: Italy, Denmark, Turkey, Ukraine, Poland, Wales, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Albania, Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo. Plus the four best group winners in the 2024-2025 Nations League: Sweden, Romania, Northern Ireland and North Macedonia.
Eight semifinals will take place on March 26, followed by four finals on the 31st, to determine the final qualifiers from the Old Continent. The eight seeds, determined by their position in the FIFA rankings published on Wednesday, will play the semi-finals on their home soil. In this draw, Christian Karembeu was accompanied by Marco Materazzi, 2006 world champion with Italy, and Martin Dahlin, former striker for the Swedish team who finished the 1994 World Cup in third place.
Path A
- Italy – Northern Ireland
- Wales – Bosnia and Herzegovina
The winner of the first match will play his presence in the World Cup against the winner of the second match, who will play at home.
Line B
- Ukraine – Sweden
- Poland – Albania
At home, the winner of the first match will try to get a ticket to the World Cup against the winner of the second match.
Line C
- Turkey – Romania
- Slovakia – Kosovo
The winner of the first match will travel to the winner of the second match for a place in the World Cup.
Line D
- Denmark – North Macedonia
- Czech Republic – Republic of Ireland
The Czech Republic or Republic of Ireland will host the winner of the first match to try to claim the final ticket.
The complete list of participants for the next World Cup will be known at the end of both tournaments. The draw for the group stage of this competition will be held on December 5 in Washington, United States.
