Which teams can still qualify for the World Cup, and when are the playoffs?
Al Jazeera
A breakdown of the intercontinental tournament that will determine two of the last six teams to qualify for the World Cup 2026.
After participating in months-long regional qualification rounds and spending years to realise their biggest dream, six teams will have one last shot at making it to the FIFA World Cup 2026 when they face off in the interconfederation playoffs this week.
The FIFA Playoff Tournament will see two teams seal their place in the tournament cohosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States in June and July.
At the same time, separate playoffs are being held by UEFA for the final four European qualifiers.
This year’s World Cup will be the biggest ever with 48 nations playing in three countries over five weeks, but with six spots still up for grabs, there’s still one last challenge for some aspirants.
The four lowest-ranked nations – Bolivia, New Caledonia, Jamaica and Suriname – will play in two semifinals with the winners advancing to a final against one of the two highest-ranked teams, the DRC and Iraq.
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