FIFA World Cup 2026 playoffs draw result: Italy vs Northern Ireland; Ukraine to face Sweden

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :November 20, 2025 at 10:06 PM

Modified at :November 20, 2025 at 10:06 PM

(Courtesy : Getty Images)

42 nations have already booked their place directly in the competition.

The World Cup playoff draw was held on Thursday at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. Italy are set to face Troy Parrott’s Northern Ireland in an attempt to earn a spot for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

There are still some spots up for grabs in the World Cup. Many nations that failed to qualify directly from the group stage qualifier games are set to play in the playoffs to learn their qualification fate for the World Cup.

42 nations have booked their place in the tournament for next year, but there are still six nations yet to qualify for the competition. Few will face each other in March in the hope of securing their place in the event.

16 countries from UEFA are set to face each other, and a total of eight will play in the final of the playoffs. Among them, four winning nations will fly to North America for the competition.

European playoff draw

PATH A

SF 1: Italy vs Northern Ireland

SF 2: Wales vs Bosnia and Herzegovina

Final: Winner SF 1 vs Winner SF 2 (home)

PATH B

SF 3: Ukraine vs Sweden

SF 4: Poland vs Albania

Final: Winner SF 3 (home) vs Winner SF 4

PATH C

SF 5: Turkiye vs Romania

SF 6: Slovakia vs Kosovo

Final: Winner SF 5 vs Winner SF 6 (home)

PATH D

SF 7: Denmark vs North Macedonia

SF 8: Czechia vs the Republic of Ireland

Final: Winner SF 7 vs Winner SF 8 (home)

The European Play-Offs for the #FIFAWorldCup 🌍Which four are headed to #WeAre26? 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ssnMXLRgYB
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 20, 2025

With the European playoff set, six teams from the other continents will compete for two berths in the competition. New Caledonia, Jamaica, Bolivia, and Suriname will compete for the remaining two semi-finals, while Iraq and the Congo DR, who started the playoffs as the top seeds, will face the winners in the final.

A spot in the 2026 World Cup will be awarded to the winners of the two finals.

PATH A

Semifinal 1: New Caledonia vs Jamaica – Winner faces Congo DR for qualification

PATH B

Semifinal 2: Bolivia vs Suriname – Winner faces Iraq for qualification

Your matchups for the FIFA World Cup 26 Play-Off Tournament! 🆚Which two are headed to 🇨🇦🇲🇽🇺🇸? pic.twitter.com/5cYxcvFjnT
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 20, 2025

When will the FIFA World Cup 2026 Playoffs take place?

They are set to be played in March 2026.

How many nations from UEFA are playing in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Playoffs?

A total of 16 nations from UEFA are playing in the playoffs.

When is the FIFA World Cup draw?

It’s on 5th December.

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Rajarshi Shukla

After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.