In about six months, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will kick off, the first edition featuring 48 teams. So far, 42 teams have already secured their spots for the showpiece event. The remaining six berths will be filled from 22 teams still in contention. Of these six spots, four will be decided via the UEFA play-offs and two through the FIFA intercontinental play-offs.
On Friday, 5 December, at 10:30 pm IST, the draw for the World Cup will be held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC, United States.
The 48 teams, including the six yet to qualify, have been divided into four pots of 12 teams each, based on their latest FIFA rankings.
The co-hosts, the United States, Canada and Mexico, will be placed in Pot 1 along with the highest-ranked teams. The six play-off winners will go into Pot 4.
For the first time in World Cup history, the tournament will feature 12 groups, from A to L, with four teams each.
The draw will start with Pot 1, assigning one team to each of the 12 groups. Mexico is pre-assigned to A1, Canada to B1, and the United States to D1. The remaining pots will be drawn in the same manner.
Who are the six teams that can still qualify?
Through the Intercontinental Play-offs
Curacao defeated Jamaica a few weeks ago to make history by reaching the World Cup as the smallest nation ever to qualify. Now, the play-offs scheduled for March bring some intriguing scenarios.
Pathway 1:
Jamaica, despite their loss to Curacao, still have a route via the play-offs. They face New Caledonia (ranked 149) on 26 March 2026. The winner, likely Jamaica, will face the Democratic Republic of Congo (ranked 56) in the final on 31 March. The winner qualifies for the World Cup.
Pathway 2:
Iraq, ranked 58, have advanced directly to the play-off final based on rankings. In the South American qualifiers, Bolivia will face Suriname on 26 March for the right to meet Iraq. Suriname (ranked 123) have had a remarkable run to reach this stage. If they qualify, they would become the lowest-ranked nation ever to play at a FIFA World Cup, breaking North Korea’s record (110) from 2010.
Through the UEFA Play-offs
The UEFA play-offs will involve 16 teams divided into four paths. Each path includes two single-leg semi-finals followed by a final, with the winner earning a World Cup berth.
The 16 participating teams include the 12 runners-up from UEFA qualifying groups and the four group winners from the UEFA Nations League 2024–25. Notable contenders include Italy, Poland, Albania, Sweden, Denmark, Turkey and Czechia.
All semi-finals will be played on 26 March, with the finals on 31 March.
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