Full draw unveiled 

©TM/IMAGO

After a week of enthralling dram in the qualifiers, the draw for the World Cup 2026 play-offs has taken place this Thursday, November 20, in Zurich. England and Scotland have already qualified for the North American tournament next year, but the hopes of Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are still very much alive, as is the case for 13 other European nations. There are 16 teams in the European draw, comprising 12 qualification group runners-up, plus four additional teams that qualified via the Nations League. There is also two inter-continental play-offs.

From Europe, eight semi-final matches will be played in March before four subsequent finals will determine who makes it to Canada, Mexico and the USA next year. The 16 teams in the draw are: Italy, Denmark, Turkey, Ukraine, Poland, Wales, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Romania, Sweden, North Macedonia and Northern Ireland. Transfermarkt reveals the full draw below.

The 2026 World Cup play-off draw

European semi-finals draw

Path A

Italy vs Northern Ireland

Wales vs Bosnia and Herzegovina

Path B

Ukraine vs Sweden

Poland vs Albania

Path C

Turkey vs Romania

Slovakia vs Kosovo

Path D

Denmark vs North Macedonia

Czech Republic vs Republic of Ireland

Inter-continental draw

DR Congo vs New Caledonia or Jamaica

Iraq vs Bolivia or Suriname