FIFA will stage back-to-back draws for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament and the UEFA European Play-Off at the Home of FIFA in Zurich on Thursday, 20 November 2025, setting the final qualification routes to North America 2026.
The two draws begin at 13:00 CET for the inter-confederation Play-Off Tournament and will be followed immediately by the European Play-Off draw.
- Draws at FIFA HQ Zurich on 20 November 2025; Play‑Off Tournament draw starts 13:00 CET, followed by the European Play‑Off.
- Seeding is based on the 19 November 2025 FIFA Men’s Ranking for both draws.
- Inter‑confed format: two seeded finalists, four unseeded semifinalists, two World Cup berths on offer; CONCACAF path separation principle applies.
- UEFA format: four brackets of four teams, single‑game semis and finals for four World Cup places.
- All playoff matches are scheduled for 26–31 March 2026, completing qualification for the 48‑team finals in Canada, Mexico and the USA (11 June–19 July 2026).
What’s being drawn of World Cup 2026 Play‑Off Tournament and UEFA Play‑Off Draws
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The inter-confederation Play-Off Tournament draw will map the six-team paths that award the final two World Cup berths, while the European Play-Off draw will form four brackets of four teams each to decide Europe’s last four qualifiers.
Both World Cup 2026 Play‑Off Tournament and UEFA Play‑Off draws take place on 20 November 2025 at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, scheduled back-to-back starting at 13:00 CET.
The timing follows two days after the November international window closes, with the decisive playoff matches to be played in March 2026.
In total, the draws set the road for 22 national teams—six in the Play-Off Tournament and 16 in the European Play-Offs—to compete for the last six places at the first 48‑team FIFA World Cup, which runs in Canada, Mexico and the United States from 11 June to 19 July 2026.
Seeding and draw procedures
Seeding for both draws uses the FIFA Men’s World Ranking published on 19 November 2025.
For the inter‑confederation Play‑Off, the top two ranked teams are seeded directly into Play‑Off finals 1 and 2, with the remaining four unseeded teams drawn into two single‑game semifinals to face those seeds; in principle, CONCACAF teams cannot be placed in the same path.
For the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Play‑Off, 16 teams are split into four independent brackets of four, with single‑match semifinals and finals producing four winners for the finals.
March 2026 playoff calendar and venues
All playoff games are scheduled in the March 26–31, 2026 window, finalizing the last qualifiers ahead of the World Cup.
The inter‑confederation Play‑Off Tournament is set for North America, with local reports noting Mexico as host across Estadio Akron (Guadalajara) and Estadio BBVA (Monterrey), each staging two fixtures.
European Play-Off: who enters
Europe’s 16‑team field consists of the runners‑up from UEFA’s 12 qualifying groups plus four additional teams via Nations League ranking, competing for four World Cup places through single‑game semifinals and finals.
Inter‑confederation Play-Off: confederation slots and early qualifiers
The six‑team inter‑confederation field comprises one representative each from AFC and CAF, two from CONCACAF, one from CONMEBOL, and one from OFC.
Bolivia (CONMEBOL) and New Caledonia (OFC) are already listed among the teams advancing to the Play‑Off Tournament ahead of the draw.
