EXPLAINER
A breakdown of the intercontinental tournament that will determine two of the last six teams to qualify for the World Cup 2026.
Published On 25 Mar 2026
After participating in months-long regional qualification rounds and spending years to realise their biggest dream, six teams will have one last shot at making it to the FIFA World Cup 2026 when they face off in the interconfederation playoffs this week.
The FIFA Playoff Tournament will see two teams seal their place in the tournament cohosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States in June and July.
At the same time, separate playoffs are being held by UEFA for the final four European qualifiers.
This year’s World Cup will be the biggest ever with 48 nations playing in three countries over five weeks, but with six spots still up for grabs, there’s still one last challenge for some aspirants.
Which teams are in the intercontinental playoffs?
- Iraq
- Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
- Bolivia
- New Caledonia
- Jamaica
- Suriname
How does the FIFA playoff tournament work?
The four lowest-ranked nations – Bolivia, New Caledonia, Jamaica and Suriname – will play in two semifinals with the winners advancing to a final against one of the two highest-ranked teams, the DRC and Iraq.
The teams winning those two games will advance to the World Cup.
What’s the FIFA interconfederation playoff tournament schedule?
Pathway 1: New Caledonia vs Jamaica on Thursday at 22:00 GMT. The winner plays the DRC.
Pathway 2: Bolivia vs Suriname on Friday at 03:00 GMT. The winner plays Iraq.
Final 1: DRC vs TBD on Tuesday at 21:00 GMT.
Final 2: Iraq vs TBD on Wednesday at 03:00 GMT.
Where will the tournament be played?
Mexico will host the games in Guadalajara and Monterrey, which will also serve as FIFA World Cup host cities.
Which teams are favourites to qualify for the World Cup?
Unsurprisingly, the two predetermined finalists – Iraq and the DRC – will be the favourites to enter the World Cup based on their FIFA rankings and team strength.
Despite the United States-Israeli war on Iran hampering their preparations, the 2007 Arab Cup champions are bidding to reach the World Cup for only the second time, having qualified for the 1986 finals in Mexico.
Meanwhile, the DRC are among the top 50 teams in the world and ninth in Africa. Their last appearance at the World Cup came in 1974 when they played under their former name Zaire and were eliminated in the group stage.
The DRC will hope to replicate their success in the regional qualifying rounds against opponents such as Nigeria and Cameroon and end the wait for a World Cup appearance.
When and where is the opening match of the World Cup?
The tournament will open on June 11 at 3pm (21:00 GMT) at Mexico City Stadium when Mexico will take on South Africa.
When and where is the final of the World Cup?
MetLife Stadium, which will be called the New York New Jersey Stadium during the tournament, will host the final on July 19 at 3pm (20:00 GMT).
What are the groups for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Group A:
- Mexico
- South Korea
- South Africa
- Denmark/Macedonia/Czech Republic/Ireland
Group B:
- Canada
- Switzerland
- Qatar
- Italy/Northern Ireland/Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group C:
- Brazil
- Morocco
- Scotland
- Haiti
Group D:
- US
- Australia
- Paraguay
- Turkiye/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo
Group E:
- Germany
- Ecuador
- Ivory Coast
- Curacao
Group F:
- Netherlands
- Japan
- Tunisia
- Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania
Group G:
- Belgium
- Iran
- Egypt
- New Zealand
Group H:
- Spain
- Uruguay
- Saudi Arabia
- Cape Verde
Group I:
- France
- Senegal
- Norway
- Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname
Group J:
- Argentina
- Austria
- Algeria
- Jordan
Group K:
- Portugal
- Colombia
- Uzbekistan
- DRC/Jamaica/New Caledonia
Group L:
- England
- Croatia
- Panama
- Ghana
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