FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Explained: Can Italy Make It | Which Teams Are In The Race?

Last Updated:March 26, 2026, 09:48 IST

UEFA playoffs send four teams to FIFA World Cup 2026, with Italy, Ukraine, Turkiye, Denmark and others battling in Paths A to D for final European spots.

FIFA World Cup 2026 mascots (AP)

The UEFA’s FIFA World Cup 2026 playoffs will send four European teams to the global finals in June and July in North America.

There is another routebut for teams from the AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL and OFC in the intercontinental playoffs.

Who Are The Teams And What Is the Format?

In the 23rd FIFA World Cup, the expanded format will see 16 teams from Europe taking part. 12 teams — Germany, Switzerland, Scotland, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Austria, Norway, Belgium, England and Croatia — have already booked their place.

Four nations — out of Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, Albania, Slovakia, Kosovo, Turkiye, Romania, Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia and the Republic of Ireland — will join them.

So these 16 teams will have four paths to fill the remaining UEFA slots.

The European play-offs has 12 group runners-up and the four best-ranked UEFA Nations League section winners. The 16 teams have been drawn into four play-off paths, each containing four teams.

Each play-off path comprises two semi-final pairings, with each pairing featuring one seeded team and one unseeded team. Within each path, the teams play single-legged semi-finals, and the winners progress to single-legged finals. These finals will determine the last four UEFA representatives at the World Cup, which will take place across 16 vibrant Host Cities from Thursday, 11 June to Sunday, 19 July 2026.

Path A

1. Italy v Northern Ireland – March 27, 1:15 a.m. IST
2. Wales v Bosnia and Herzegovina – March 27, 1:15 a.m. IST

Final: Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina v Italy/Northern Ireland

Path B

1. Ukraine v Sweden – March 27, 1:15 a.m. IST
2. Poland v Albania – March 27, 1:15 am IST

Final: Ukraine/Sweden v Poland/Albania

Path C

1. Turkiye v Romania – March 26, 10:30 p.m. IST
2. Slovakia v Kosovo – March 27, 1:15 am IST

Final: Slovakia/Kosovo v Turkiye/Romania

Path D

1. Denmark v North Macedonia – March 27, 1:15 a.m. IST
2. Czechia v Republic of Ireland – March 27, 1:15 a.m. IST

Final: Czechia/Republic of Ireland v Denmark/North Macedonia

How Can Italy Qualify For FIFA World Cup 2026?

Italy first need to get past Northern Ireland and will then face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home.

Groups For 2026 FIFA World Cup

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

Four teams from will join the 12 other European nations as UEFA sends the largest quota of countries to the FIFA World Cup.

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