We know 42 of the 48 nations who will compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the tournament’s field won’t be finalized until March.
To qualify for the final six spots in the sport’s most prestigious tournament, there will be two playoffs.
The European Qualifiers will account for four of the six teams.
Countries from around the world will compete in FIFA’s Intercontinental Playoffs for a chance to make the final two spots.
Here’s what to know about the Intercontinental Playoffs:
2026 World Cup: Intercontinental Playoffs
FIFA will run a six-team intercontinental playoff to decide the final two World Cup berths. The field includes:
- One team from each confederation: AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL, OFC
- Two teams from CONCACAF (as the host confederation for 2026)
The two highest-ranked teams, Congo and Iraq, are seeded into the “finals.” The other four play single-match first-round games; those two winners face the seeds, and the two match winners qualify for the World Cup. It’s staged in North America as a tournament-style test event ahead of 2026.
The two semi-final games will be held on March 26, 2026.
The winner of those games will move on to play in the finals on March 31, 2026.
All games will be staged in Mexico, at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, and Estadio BBVA in Monterrey.
BRENTFORD, ENGLAND – MAY 27: The Jamaica fans celebrate their second goal during the Unity Cup Semi Final match between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago at Gtech Community Stadium on May 27, 2025 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside
Semifinals
Path A
- New Caledonia vs. Jamaica
Path B
Finals
Path A
- DR Congo vs. Winner of New Caledonia-Jamaica
Path B
- Iraq vs. Winner of Bolivia-Suriname
The Source: Information in this article comes from FIFA.
FIFA World CupSports
