This past week, the 2026 World Cup qualifiers officially concluded, and many national teams qualified for the prestigious tournament that will take place in Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
There are now 42 nations confirmed to play in the 2026 World Cup after the November international break, as countries from Europe, Africa, and North America qualified for the World Cup.
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With the 2026 World Cup being a 48-team tournament, the first time a FIFA World Cup will have 48 teams, there are six slots left to be filled by teams across the world.
Those six slots are made for two teams that finished in playoff spots in their respective confederations and for four European teams that win their respective UEFA World Cup playoff paths.
A general view prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa – FIGC/FIGC via Getty Images)Photo by Claudio Villa – FIGC/FIGC via Getty Images
There will be two draws for these two different playoffs, one for the inter-confederation play-offs and the other for the UEFA World Cup qualifier play-offs.
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Where to Watch World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament & European Play-Off Draws
The World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament & European Play-Off Draws are set to start at 13:00 CET, 12 p.m. GMT. The draw will take place in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday, November 20, 2025.
In the U.S., the draw will start at 7 a.m. ET/ 4 a.m. PT. The draw will be free to watch in many countries, including the U.S., the UK, and more.
The Two World Cup Play-Offs Explained
For the World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament(inter-confederation play-offs), six teams from across the world that reached playoff positions in their respective areas will compete for two direct qualification spots for the 2026 World Cup.
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The World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament will be played in Mexico in March, with the 2026 World Cup stadiums, Guadalajara Stadium and Monterrey Stadium, hosting the matches.
The six teams involved are DR Congo, Iraq, Bolivia, Jamaica, Suriname, and New Caledonia.
DR Congo and Iraq are a step ahead of the rest due to their FIFA Rankings being higher than the rest, and will only play in the inter-confederation play-offs Final.
Bolivia, Jamaica, Suriname, and New Caledonia will be drawn to determine the semifinals and paths for the final. The winners of both finals will qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
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For the UEFA World Cup qualifier playoffs, 16 teams will be divided into four separate playoff paths that include a semifinal and a final to determine the four European nations left to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The teams involved in these playoffs are Italy, Denmark, Turkiye, Ukraine, Poland, Wales, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Sweden, Romania, North Macedonia, and Northern Ireland.
Teams will be drawn from pots of four. Teams in Pot 1 will face teams in Pot 4 in the semifinals, while teams in Pot 2 will face teams in Pot 3 in the semifinals. The draw will determine these semifinal matches and each of the four playoff paths for four teams.
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The winners of each of the four playoff paths will qualify for the 2026 World Cup, completing the 48 teams participating in the 2026 World Cup. These matches will be played in March as well, but in Europe.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Nov 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the Soccer section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
