When are the World Cup qualifying play-offs and when is the draw?
World Cup: Which countries are in the play-offs and when do they play?
- Sixteen European teams will compete in the World Cup play-offs, comprising 12 group runners-up and four teams from the Nations League who failed to finish in the top two of the first qualifying round.
- Confirmed participants include the Republic of Ireland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Italy, Ukraine, Albania, Czech Republic, Romania and Sweden.
- The Uefa play-off draw is scheduled for Thursday, 20 November, at 12pm GMT.
- The play-offs will feature single-leg knockout matches, with semi-finals on 26 March and finals on 31 March 2026, requiring two wins to qualify.
- The draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place on Friday, 5 December, at 5pm GMT/12pm EST in Washington DC, with Donald Trump expected to be present.