Zurich: Football’s World governing body, FIFA, has announced that the draws to determine the playoff brackets for the final six spots at the expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup will take place on November 20 in Zurich. The playoffs will decide the last qualifiers for the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year.
The European playoff draw will feature 16 teams, including potential heavyweights such as four-time world champions Italy, battling for four remaining European berths. Matches will be played between March 26 and 31, 2026, as teams vie for a coveted ticket to football’s biggest stage.
Meanwhile, six teams from outside Europe will compete in the intercontinental playoffs for two World Cup slots. Those games are expected to be hosted in Mexico, with Bolivia and New Caledonia already confirmed among the participants.
FIFA said the playoff brackets will be seeded based on the next men’s world rankings, scheduled for release on November 19 — just a day before the draw.
In Europe, the playoffs will consist of four mini-brackets of four teams each, featuring single-leg semifinals and finals. The 16 participants will include the runners-up from the 12 European qualifying groups and four additional teams that won Nations League groups last year — a list expected to include Wales and Sweden.
The 12 winners of the European qualifying groups, which conclude on November 18, have already secured direct entry to the World Cup. Among them are England, who confirmed their qualification earlier this month.
For the intercontinental playoffs, the format will see the four lowest-ranked teams paired in single-match semifinals, with the winners facing the two highest-ranked teams in the decisive finals to determine the last two qualifiers.
The six playoff placeholders will be placed in Pot 4, the lowest-ranked group, during the main World Cup draw on December 5 at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C. The event is expected to feature an appearance by U.S. President Donald Trump.
(IANS)
