2026 World Cup Playoffs: Final Six Spots Decided This Week

The final six spots for the 48‑team 2026 World Cup will be decided this week. In Europe, eight teams will contest four places in winner‑take‑all matches: Bosnia‑Herzegovina vs Italy, Sweden vs Poland, Kosovo vs Turkey and Czech Republic vs Denmark. In the intercontinental playoff, six teams will vie for two spots: Congo vs Jamaica and Bolivia vs Iraq. The winners will join the 16 European teams already qualified and the 32 teams that earned direct entry.

The United States, Canada and Mexico will co‑host the tournament, which kicks off on June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and ends on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The final will be played under the name New York New Jersey Stadium during the event.