The road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup reaches its final stretch this week as six nations contest the last remaining qualification places across two separate playoff competitions, with the decisive matches beginning today, Thursday, March 26.
Four spots are being decided through UEFA’s single-leg knockout paths, while two more will be settled through an intercontinental competition featuring Bolivia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname.
The UEFA playoff semifinals are staged today, with finals scheduled for March 31. Path A sees Italy face Northern Ireland and Wales take on Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the two winners then meeting for a place at the tournament. Italy, one of football’s most storied nations, are bidding to avoid a third consecutive World Cup absence after missing the 2018 and 2022 editions.
The four-time world champions are seeking to avoid the ignominy of missing out on the tournament for a third consecutive time, with the spotlight on Italian football’s domestic structure as its clubs struggle to compete in European competition.
On the intercontinental front, New Caledonia take on Jamaica on Thursday, with the winner advancing to face DR Congo, while Bolivia meet Suriname, with their winner set to play Iraq on April 1.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams and will run from June 11 to July 19, jointly hosted by 16 cities across the United States, Mexico and Canada. The tournament will feature a total of 104 matches, up from 64 at the Qatar edition.
Separately, FIFA announced a final phase of World Cup ticket sales, with over one million tickets already sold and additional seats going on general sale from April 1 on a first-come, first-served basis.
