FIFA World Cup 2026™ and European Play-Off draw
The final pathways to the game-changing FIFA World Cup 2026™ will be mapped out when the draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Play-Off Tournament and the European Play-Off draw take place at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday, 20 November 2025.
The draws will define the routes the 22 competing nations – six via the Play-Off Tournament and 16 through European Play-Off matches – will need to successfully navigate to seal a spot at the first-ever 48-team FIFA World Cup™, which will be staged in Canada, Mexico and the United States from Thursday, 11 June to Sunday, 19 July 2026.
The draws will be staged back-to-back, with the draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament commencing at 13:00 CET, followed by the European Play-Off equivalent.
The draws will take place just two days after the completion of the November 2025 international match window, which promises to be another action-packed period as the list of qualified nations for the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup continues to take shape.
Wales will host Bosnia and Herzegovina in a one-legged World Cup play-off semi-final and could face either Italy or Northern Ireland at home in the final.
Craig Bellamy’s side secured their place by finishing second behind Belgium in qualifying Group J and will be the home team for the one-off match and in the final should they get there.
Northern Ireland- who qualified through the Nations League, have been handed the difficult task of travelling to Italy for their play-off semi-final.
The Republic of Ireland, who booked their spot in dramatic fashion thanks to a last-gasp victory over Hungary, will play away in the Czech Republic in their semi-final.
The winner of that match will host either Denmark or North Macedonia.
The semi-finals will take place on Thursday March 26 and the finals on Tuesday March 31 with kick-off times of 5pm or 7.45pm.
