The moment of truth has arrived for MANY teams eyeing the 2026 World Cup.
The last FIFA Date of the year will have its first matches next Thursday (13).
There will be decisions in four different Qualifiers and several friendlies focusing on the World Cup in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
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Check below for the most notable matches.
11/13 – Thursday
African Qualifiers Playoff
1 PM – Nigeria vs. Gabon
4 PM – Cameroon vs. Democratic Republic of Congo
Single matches that will determine the finalist of the playoff. The decision will be on Sunday (11/16) and will indicate the African representative in the world playoff. So far, only New Caledonia and Bolivia are guaranteed.
Asian Qualifiers Playoff
1 PM – United Arab Emirates vs. Iraq
First leg for a spot in the world playoff.
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Penultimate round of the European World Cup Qualifiers
4:45 PM – France vs. Ukraine – Group D
A “simple” victory will be enough for Mbappé & Co. to secure a spot in the World Cup. Ukraine needs to triumph to reach the same ten points before the final round.
4:45 PM – England vs. Serbia – Group K
The English Team is already in the World Cup. But they face a rival fighting for the playoff.
The Serbians have ten points and are competing with Sylvinho’s Albania, which has 11 and visits the bottom-placed Latvia.
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4:45 PM – Ireland vs. Portugal – Group F
Cristiano Ronaldo & Co. lead with ten points. They face an Ireland with four, focusing on the playoff.
The Portuguese team’s mathematical spot will be secured even in case of a draw if Hungary (five) does not beat Armenia (three) as visitors.
4:45 PM – Moldova vs. Italy – Group I
Leading with 18 points, Norway faces Estonia earlier (2 PM). They should win and extend their already comfortable goal difference over Italy, which is 26 against ten at the moment.
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Already certain of the playoff, the Azzurri (with 15 points) cling to the “unlikely” to keep chances of taking the group lead from their rivals in the final round – which will be a direct duel on Italian soil.
Fifth round of the Third phase of the Concacaf Qualifiers
7 PM – Suriname vs. El Salvador – Group A
Neighboring Brazil, Suriname leads the group with nine points and defends this position against El Salvador (three), playing their last cards. Only the leader of each group advances directly.
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9 PM – Guatemala vs. Panama – Group A
Panama has the same points as Suriname but loses by the number of goals scored. They visit Guatemala (five) and need to win to go into the final round with chances.
9 PM – Bermuda vs. Curaçao – Group B
Favorite against a pointless opponent, Curaçao needs to win. A draw in the other group match would secure the lead before the final round.
9 PM – Trinidad & Tobago vs. Jamaica – Group B
The Reggae Boyz are in first place with nine points. They face a rival with five, trying at least to reach the playoff.
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9 PM – Nicaragua vs. Honduras – Group C
The Honduran team leads with eight points and can even secure their World Cup spot this round with a win and a draw in the Haiti (five) vs. Costa Rica (six) match.
9 PM – Haiti vs. Costa Rica – Group C
A draw will be fatal for both considering Honduras’s favoritism. The possible winner will go into the final round very much alive.
International Friendly
9:30 PM – Canada vs. Ecuador
11/14 – Friday
Penultimate round of the European World Cup Qualifiers
4:45 PM – Luxembourg vs. Germany – Group A
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Germany needs to win. They have the same nine points as Slovakia and a superior goal difference (five against four).
Their main rival in the fight for the direct spot will host Northern Ireland, which has six and dreams.
4:45 PM – Poland vs. Netherlands – Group G
The team of Memphis, Denzel Dumfries & Co. will secure the direct spot with an away win, as they lead in points: 16 against 13.
Lewa and his compatriots need to win, as a draw will keep the rivals in a good position in the final round.
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4:45 PM – Croatia vs. Faroe Islands – Group L
The 2018 World Cup runner-up only needs a simple draw to go to the World Cup. They lead the group with 16 points. That’s three more than the Czech Republic, which has one more game.
The Faroe Islands’ mission is practically impossible to reach the playoff. They have 12 points and have already played seven matches. They need to win and then hope for the Czech Republic to lose against the winless Gibraltar.
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International Friendlies
7:20 AM – Japan vs. Ghana
1 PM – Angola vs. Argentina
11/15 – Saturday
Penultimate round of the European World Cup Qualifiers
11 AM – Kazakhstan vs. Belgium – Group J
The Red Devils took the lead in Group J in the last round and will secure a World Cup spot with a win.
They would reach 17 points against North Macedonia’s 13, which has one more match.
Wales has ten, tends to beat Liechtenstein on the same Saturday, and go into the final round in a good position to host North Macedonia.
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2 PM – Georgia vs. Spain – Group E
An away win will leave La Roja virtually qualified for the World Cup. They will reach 15 points – maintaining 100%.
Turkey, which has nine, tends to beat the winless Bulgaria.
The final round will be precisely a Spain vs. Turkey. Spain’s big advantage is their current goal difference: 15 against three.
4:45 PM – Switzerland vs. Sweden – Group B
Leading Group B, Switzerland faces the big disappointment of the Qualifiers: Sweden, with only one point. They can already celebrate their World Cup spot.
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A win will take the Swiss to 13 points. Kosovo (ten) visits Slovenia (three) at the same time and, if they stumble, will have to settle for the playoff spot.
2 PM – Cyprus vs. Austria – Group H
Austria’s spot (15 points and 16 goal difference) could come in this penultimate round with a win and a draw in the other group match.
4:45 PM – Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Romania – Group H
Vice-leader (13 and goal difference eight), Bosnia has a difficult situation to keep fighting for the direct spot. They would need an Austrian defeat earlier and then a win in front of their fans. The final round will be Austria vs. Bosnia.
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4:45 PM – Denmark vs. Belarus – Group C
With the same ten points as Scotland but a superior goal difference (eleven against five), Denmark can get close to their qualification.
4:45 PM – Greece vs. Scotland – Group C
Scotland knows the tendency is for a Danish rout in the other match. They will need to do their part and win before the final round, which will be a direct duel in Glasgow.
International Friendlies
1 PM – Brazil vs. Senegal
7 PM – United States vs. Paraguay
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9 PM – Colombia vs. New Zealand
10 PM – Mexico vs. Uruguay
11/16 – Sunday
Last round of the European World Cup Qualifiers
11 AM – Hungary vs. Ireland – Group F
11 AM – Portugal vs. Armenia – Group F
2 PM – Albania vs. England – Group K
2 PM – Azerbaijan vs. France – Group D
4:45 PM – Italy vs. Norway – Group I
11/17 – Monday
Last round of the European World Cup Qualifiers
4:45 PM – Germany vs. Slovakia – Group A
4:45 PM – Malta vs. Poland – Group G
4:45 PM – Netherlands vs. Lithuania – Group G
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11/18 – Tuesday
Asian Qualifiers Playoff
1 PM – Iraq vs. United Arab Emirates
Second leg for a spot in the world playoff.
Last round of the European World Cup Qualifiers
4:45 PM – Austria vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina – Group H
4:45 PM – Scotland vs. Denmark – Group C
4:45 PM – Spain vs. Turkey – Group E
4:45 PM – Wales vs. North Macedonia – Group J
Sixth round of the Third phase of the Concacaf Qualifiers
10 PM – Panama vs. El Salvador – Group A
10 PM – Guatemala vs. Suriname – Group A
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10 PM – Trinidad & Tobago vs. Bermuda – Group B
10 PM – Jamaica vs. Curaçao – Group B
10 PM – Costa Rica vs. Honduras – Group C
10 PM – Haiti vs. Nicaragua – Group C
International Friendlies
7:15 AM – Japan vs. Bolivia
8 AM – South Korea vs. Ghana
1 PM – Saudi Arabia vs. Algeria
4:30 PM – Brazil vs. Tunisia
9 PM – Colombia vs. Australia
9 PM – United States vs. Uruguay
10:30 PM – Mexico vs. Paraguay
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
📸 Carlos Rodrigues – 2025 Getty Images
