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Some of the top-ranked soccer countries from across the globe are looking to earn their spot in the 2026 World Cup.
42 of the tournament's 48 teams have already been decided.
Four of those spots will go to European countries.
Italy, Ukraine, Demark and Sweden are among the 16 countries still fighting for the opportunity to play in North America.
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
The Source: Information in this article comes from UEFA and FIFA.