42 teams have already qualified for the World Cup in USA, Mexico, and Canada next summer. The largest World Cup ever will have 48 teams, so how will the final 6 teams be chosen? In March 2026, 18 teams from around the world will be whittled down to the final 6 qualifiers. This is a combination of four European countries and 2 teams from the Intercontinental playoffs. Now is as good a time as any to sharpen your guessing game and get ready for a World Cup predictor game. Who do you think will qualify from the playoffs?
The European playoffs
UEFA qualifying ended in November with 12 group winners automatically qualifying for the World Cup. There were some exciting matches, none more so than Scotland beating Denmark late on in Glasgow to reach a first World Cup since 1998 in France, condemning Denmark to the European playoffs in the process.
What’s the UEFA playoff format?
The 12 group runners up from the qualifying campaign automatically went into the playoffs. Additionally, four more countries joined them based on performance in the last edition of the Nations League. There are four pathways to qualify, with a semi-final and final played out in each.
When are the playoffs?
The semi-finals will be played on Thursday, 27th March 2026, with the finals played on Tuesday, 31st March 2026. The losers of each pathway semi-final will play each other in a friendly on the latter date.
Pathway A
Semi-final:
- Italy v Northern Ireland
- Wales v Bosnia and Herzegovina
Final:
- Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina v Italy or Northern Ireland
Pathway B
Semi-final:
- Ukraine v Sweden
- Poland v Albania
Final:
- Ukraine or Sweden v Poland or Albania
Pathway C
Semi-final:
- Turkey v Romania
- Slovakia v Kosovo
Final:
- Slovakia or Kosovo v Turkey or Romania
Pathway D
Semi-final:
- Denmark v North Macedonia
- Czech Republic v Republic of Ireland
Final:
- Czech Republic or Republic of Ireland v Denmark or North Macedonia
FIFA Intercontinental Playoffs
The other two remaining places for the World Cup are decided between countries from the other FIFA confederations. There is one nation from the AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL, and OFC, and two countries from CONCACAF. The six countries are split into two three-team pathways. All the Intercontinental playoff matches will be played in the World Cup host country, Mexico, in Guadalajara and Monterrey.
Pathway 1
Semi-final:
- New Caledonia v Jamaica
Final:
- DR Congo v New Caledonia or Jamaica
Pathway 2
Semi-final:
- Bolivia v Suriname
Final:
- Iraq v Bolivia or Suriname
Predict the outcome of World Cup 2026
Do you fancy yourself as a fountain of knowledge when it comes to football? One of the best ways to put this to the test is to take part in a World Cup predictor game in the workplace. Challenge your colleagues, play in teams against other departments, or even invite your customers to play. A football competition in the form of a World Cup predictor league offers a fun way to boost team morale, improve communication in the workplace, and engage fully with your customers. Practice for your official World Cup predictor game by seeing if you can correctly guess the results and qualifiers from the exciting playoff games coming up in March.
