FIFA World Cup 2026 play-offs: Fixtures, dates, and who needs what

The race to the 2026 World Cup is about to end this week as the final six places of the tournament are set to be decided.

This year, the hosts of the tournament are the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Four European nations will earn their spot via play-offs, featuring one-legged semi-finals on Thursday, March 26, and finals on March 31.

The remaining two spots will be decided via international play-offs, including six nations.

European play-off paths

In path A, Italy will be facing Northern Ireland while Wales hosts Bosnia-Herzegovina in Cardiff. Whoever wins will join Group B alongside Canada, Switzerland, and Qatar.

Path B sees Ukraine vs Sweden in Valencia, while Poland faces Albania. The winner of this group will enter Group F with the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia.

For Path C, there’s a faceoff between Turkey and Romania, whereas Slovakia is set to host Kosovo. The winner will join Group D alongside co-hosts the United States, Paraguay, and Australia.

In Path D, there’s Denmark vs North Macedonia and Czech Republic vs Republic of Ireland. The path winner will face Mexico, South Africa, and South Korea in Group A.

International play-offs

For the final two spots, six nations from five confederations compete in Mexico. New Caledonia will play against Jamaica in Path 1, while the winner of the match will face DR Congo.

Path 2 sees Bolivia take on Suriname, with Iraq awaiting in the final.

These intercontinental champions will compete in Group I, dubbed the "group of death," along with France, Senegal, and Norway, and Group K with Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan.

With everything on the line, the next seven days will determine which nations complete the 48-team World Cup field.