Overview of the 2026 World Cup European playoffs: Format, participating teams, timetable, and viewing options in the UK.
The journey to the 2026 World Cup is reaching its crucial final phase, with four positions available from UEFA’s playoffs to participate in this summer’s 48-team event.
Football powerhouses Italy are still in contention for one of those four positions, alongside Poland, Denmark, Sweden, and four other nations.
But who will advance, what is the process, and how can you view the matches in the UK? ESPN has all the details.
Who qualified for the European playoffs?
Sixteen teams have qualified for the European playoffs for the 2026 World Cup, providing a second-chance pathway to the sport’s most esteemed tournament through a unique knockout format.
The roster consists of 12 runners-up from the World Cup qualifying group stage, along with four teams that secured spots based on their performances in the 2024-25 UEFA Nations Leagueβa safety net intended to reward consistent competitive outcomes outside of the conventional qualifying process.
Runners-up: Slovakia, Kosovo, Denmark, Ukraine, Turkey, Republic of Ireland, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Wales, Albania, and Czechia
UEFA Nations League qualifiers: Romania, Sweden, North Macedonia, and Northern Ireland
The Nations League positions are assigned to the highest-ranked group winners who did not finish in the top two of their World Cup qualifying group.
How does it work?
The teams are divided into four distinct paths, labeled A-D, each containing four teams. Each path follows the same structure:
Two single-leg semifinals
One single-leg final
The victors of each path qualify for the World Cupβmeaning only four of the 16 teams will progress.
Higher-ranked teams will host the semifinals, while the final hosts were randomly determined by a draw in November.
In summary, win two knockout matches, and you secure a place at the World Cup.
Which teams made it to the finals?
Italy made significant progress towards qualifying for their first World Cup since 2014 with a 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland in Bergamo, with goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean.
The Azzurri will compete against Bosnia and Herzegovina in their playoff final after they overcame Wales. Craig Bellamy’s team was close to reaching the final before Edin Dzeko scored late from a corner, sending the match into extra time and ultimately penalties. Brennan Johnson and Nico Williams missed their penalties, ending Welsh hopes.
The Republic of Ireland also saw their World Cup aspirations dashed in a penalty shootout loss to Czechia. Troy Parrot’s remarkable hat trick against Hungary had secured their playoff spot, and they seemed to be on course for victory in Prague after taking a 2-0 lead. However, the hosts rallied to force a penalty shootout, which they won 4-3.
Viktor GyΓΆkeres’s hat trick propelled Sweden past Ukraine, while Poland, Turkey, Denmark, and Kosovo also clinched a spot in the playoff finals.
What are the games?
Path A
Final: Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy
Path B
Final: Sweden vs. Poland
Path C
Final: Kosovo vs TΓΌrkiye
Path D
Final: Czechia vs. Denmark
When are the games and how do I watch in the UK?
The finals will take place on Tuesday, March 31 at 7:45 p.m. GMT. They will be available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video via pay-per-view.
Who are the favourites to progress?
Italy, the four-time World Cup champions, are the highest-ranked team in the playoffs and will be highly motivated to avoid missing out on a third consecutive World Cup.
The final between Sweden and Poland is expected to be closely contested, highlighted by the matchup between GyΓΆkeres and Robert Lewandowski. Poland has participated in the last two World Cups, while Sweden reached the quarterfinals in their last tournament appearance in 2018.
Turkey’s encounter with Kosovo will carry significant narrative weight. The Turks are striving to qualify for their first World Cup since 2002, where they made an impressive run to the semifinals. In contrast, Kosovo began competing in international football in 2014 and has yet to participate in a major tournament.
What 2026 World Cup groups will teams end up in?
All playoff teams were placed in Pot 4 for December’s World Cup draw, categorizing them as the lowest-ranked teams and ensuring they will face higher-ranked opponents in the group stage.
The winner of each playoff path will join a specific group:
– Path A winner joins Group B with co-hosts Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland.
– Path B winner joins Group E alongside the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia.
– Path C winner joins Group C with co-hosts the USA, Paraguay, and Australia.
– Path D winner joins Group A with co-hosts Mexico, South Africa, and South Korea.
What other playoffs are taking place?
In addition to the UEFA playoffs, there are also interconfederation playoffsβwhere six nations will compete for two additional World Cup spots.
Each of the five confederations (excluding UEFA) will provide one nation, while the host confederation (Concacaf) receives a second slot.
1 – Africa (DR Congo)
1 – Asia (Iraq)
2 – Concacaf (Jamaica and Suriname)
1 – Oceania (New Caledonia)
1 – South America (Bolivia)
The two countries with the highest FIFA World RankingβDR Congo and Iraqβwere seeded and will advance directly to one of the two finals. The remaining four nations were drawn to compete in a semifinal, leading to a matchup against a seed for one of the two World Cup spots.
Jamaica’s 1-0 victory over New Caledonia and Bolivia’s 2-1 win against Suriname in the semifinals secured their places in the final.
Pathway 1
March 26
New Caledonia 0-1 Jamaica
March 31
Jamaica vs DR Congo, Guadalajara, 10 p.m. GMT
Pathway 2
March 26
Bolivia 2-1 Suriname
March 31
Bolivia vs. Iraq, Guadalupe, 4 a.m. GMT (on April 1)
The winners of Pathway 1 will enter Group K with Portugal, Uzbekistan, and Colombia, while the winners of Pathway 2 will join France, Senegal, and Norway in Group I.
