EXPLAINER
A breakdown of the intercontinental event that may decide two of the final six teams to qualify for the World Cup 2026.
Published On 25 Mar 2026
After taking part in months-long regional qualification rounds and spending years to grasp their greatest dream, six teams may have one final shot at making it to the FIFA World Cup 2026 when they face off in the interconfederation playoffs this week.
The FIFA Playoff Tournament will see two teams seal their place in the event cohosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States in June and July.
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At the identical time, separate playoffs are being held by UEFA for the last 4 European qualifiers.
This 12 months’s World Cup can be the greatest ever with 48 nations enjoying in three nations over 5 weeks, however with six spots still up for grabs, there’s still one final problem for some aspirants.
Which teams are in the intercontinental playoffs?
- Iraq
- Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
- Bolivia
- New Caledonia
- Jamaica
- Suriname
How does the FIFA playoff event work?
The 4 lowest-ranked nations – Bolivia, New Caledonia, Jamaica and Suriname – will play in two semifinals with the winners advancing to a last in opposition to one in all the two highest-ranked teams, the DRC and Iraq.
The teams profitable these two video games will advance to the World Cup.
What’s the FIFA interconfederation playoff event schedule?
Pathway 1: New Caledonia vs Jamaica on Thursday at 22:00 GMT. The winner performs the DRC.
Pathway 2: Bolivia vs Suriname on Friday at 03:00 GMT. The winner performs Iraq.
Final 1: DRC vs TBD on Tuesday at 21:00 GMT.
Final 2: Iraq vs TBD on Wednesday at 03:00 GMT.
Where will the event be performed?
Mexico will host the video games in Guadalajara and Monterrey, which will even function FIFA World Cup host cities.
Which teams are favourites to qualify for the World Cup?
Unsurprisingly, the two predetermined finalists – Iraq and the DRC – can be the favourites to enter the World Cup primarily based on their FIFA rankings and workforce power.
Despite the United States-Israeli battle on Iran hampering their preparations, the 2007 Arab Cup champions are bidding to achieve the World Cup for solely the second time, having certified for the 1986 finals in Mexico.
Meanwhile, the DRC are amongst the high 50 teams in the world and ninth in Africa. Their final look at the World Cup got here in 1974 when they performed below their former identify Zaire and have been eradicated in the group stage.
The DRC will hope to duplicate their success in the regional qualifying rounds in opposition to opponents akin to Nigeria and Cameroon and finish the wait for a World Cup look.
When and the place is the opening match of the World Cup?
The event will open on June 11 at 3pm (21:00 GMT) at Mexico City Stadium when Mexico will tackle South Africa.
When and the place is the last of the World Cup?
MetLife Stadium, which can be referred to as the New York New Jersey Stadium throughout the event, will host the last on July 19 at 3pm (20:00 GMT).
What are the teams for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Group A:
- Mexico
- South Korea
- South Africa
- Denmark/Macedonia/Czech Republic/Ireland
Group B:
- Canada
- Switzerland
- Qatar
- Italy/Northern Ireland/Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group C:
- Brazil
- Morocco
- Scotland
- Haiti
Group D:
- US
- Australia
- Paraguay
- Turkiye/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo
Group E:
- Germany
- Ecuador
- Ivory Coast
- Curacao
Group F:
- Netherlands
- Japan
- Tunisia
- Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania
Group G:
- Belgium
- Iran
- Egypt
- New Zealand
Group H:
- Spain
- Uruguay
- Saudi Arabia
- Cape Verde
Group I:
- France
- Senegal
- Norway
- Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname
Group J:
- Argentina
- Austria
- Algeria
- Jordan
Group Okay:
- Portugal
- Colombia
- Uzbekistan
- DRC/Jamaica/New Caledonia
Group L:
- England
- Croatia
- Panama
- Ghana
