Italy is set to face Northern Ireland in a World Cup qualifying playoff in March, with the winner having to travel for their next match to secure a spot in the first 48-team finals tournament in North America. Italy, a four-time champion, has not participated in a World Cup since 2014 and is looking to break this streak after finishing as runners-up in a qualifying group won by Norway.
In another playoff matchup, Ukraine will host Sweden, and the winner will face either Poland or Albania. Kosovo, aiming for its first World Cup appearance, will play against Slovakia and then host the winner between Turkey and Romania.
Following impressive wins over Portugal and Hungary, Ireland will compete in a playoff semifinal against the Czech Republic, with the victor going on to play against Denmark or North Macedonia.
Additionally, FIFA conducted a draw for the six-nation intercontinental playoffs excluding Europe. Iraq, a seeded team, must overcome Bolivia or Suriname in a one-game playoff to secure a spot in the finals tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Congo, another seeded team, will play the winner of a single-game semifinal between New Caledonia and Jamaica.
The intercontinental playoff games will take place in Mexico from March 23-31, with six teams advancing to complete the 48-nation lineup for the World Cup. The remaining 42 teams were finalized this week after completing qualifying groups and playoff matches across four continents.
The World Cup draw is scheduled for December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., where the six unconfirmed playoff teams will be drawn as placeholders from the lowest-ranked teams in the seeded draw.
Iraq secured a spot in the global playoffs with a penalty goal in the 17th minute of stoppage time against the United Arab Emirates. This victory sets them up for their first World Cup appearance since 1986. New Caledonia, ranked 149th among FIFA member countries, earned a playoff spot by defeating Tahiti and then losing the Oceania qualifying final to New Zealand. Coach Johann Sidaner’s team, having played limited matches, will aim to advance further in the playoffs.
