World Cup 2026: six nations qualified for the intercontinental playoffs

The six teams set to contest the intercontinental playoffs for the 2026 World Cup are now known. Bolivia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname will try to secure their World Cup tickets at a mini-tournament held in March 2026 in Mexico.

At this stage, 42 nations are already guaranteed a place in the 2026 edition. The remaining spots will be decided after the European and inter-confederation playoffs scheduled for March. The draw for the UEFA playoffs will take place on Thursday, November 20 at FIFA headquarters. It will involve the teams that finished second in their qualifying groups: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Kosovo, Poland, the Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine and Wales. Also added are the teams that qualified via the Nations League: Romania, Sweden, Northern Ireland and North Macedonia.