World Cup play-offs explained: How European teams can still qualify for tournament
Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland had chance to qualify for the 2026 World Cup via play-offs this month and failed; the winners of the four play-off finals qualify for this summer's World Cup in Mexico, America and Canada
Thursday 26 March 2026 23:23, UK
The quest to qualify for the World Cup continues next week after heartbreak for Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the play-offs.
On Thursday night, Northern Ireland were beaten 2-0 by Italy, who will go on to face Bosnia & Herzegovina in the play-off final - after they defeated Wales on penalties.
There was also penalty heartbreak for the Republic of Ireland, who threw away a two-goal lead to lose on penalties to Czech Republic.
Here's how the World Cup play-off finals work...
Who is through to the World Cup play-off final?
On Tuesday night, four of the eight teams below will have booked their places at the 2026 World Cup. All they have to do is win the one-legged finals.
The teams who come first in the scoreboard will host their respective final.
- Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Italy
- Sweden vs Poland
- Kosovo vs Turkey
- Czech Republic vs Denmark
How did teams qualify for the World Cup play-offs?
For the first time, 16 European teams will play at the World Cup owing to the 50 per cent increase in the size of the 2026 tournament. Of those, 12 places are reserved for UEFA qualifying group winners, with the other four coming via the play-offs.
The 12 group runners-up will be joined by four teams who finished outside the top two of their respective qualifying groups, who were the 'best performers' in the 2024/25 Nations League.
Here are the final standings from each of the 12 groups:
- Group A: Germany qualified, Slovakia and Northern Ireland into play-offs and eliminated
- Group B: Switzerland qualified, Kosovo and Sweden into play-offs and in final
- Group C: Scotland qualified, Denmark into play-offs and in final
- Group D: France qualified, Ukraine into play-offs and eliminated
- Group E: Spain qualified, Turkey into play-offs and in final
- Group F: Portugal qualified, Republic of Ireland into play-offs and eliminated
- Group G: Netherlands qualified, Poland into play-offs and in final
- Group H: Austria qualified, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Romania into play-offs and eliminated
- Group I: Norway qualified, Italy into play-offs and in final
- Group J: Belgium qualified, Wales and North Macedonia into play-offs and eliminated
- Group K: England qualified, Albania into play-offs and elminated
- Group L: Croatia qualified, Czech Republic into play-offs and final
What about the rest of the world?
Away from Europe, there will also be two inter-continental play-off finals on Tuesday night.
New Caledonia and Jamaica face off at 3am for the chance to face DR Congo, while Bolivia and Suriname are currently drawing 0-0 at half-time. The winner of that game will face Iraq.
Who has qualified already for World Cup?
Forty-two teams have qualified for the 2026 World Cup so far, with a list below:
