All You Need to Know about FIFA World Cup 26 Intercontinental Play-offs Draw and Fixtures

On 20 November 2025, at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, the draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ intercontinental play-off tournament was held in which was a crucial step toward finalizing the 48-team lineup for the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

What Is the Format of the Intercontinental Play-offs?

The play-off tournament will consist of six teams from different confederations vying for the two remaining World Cup spots.

Based on the FIFA World Rankings (as of 19 November 2025), the two highest-ranked teams : DR Congo (CAF) and Iraq (AFC) were seeded. The remaining four teams: Jamaica, Suriname, Bolivia, and New Caledonia  are unseeded.

The structure is knockout-based:

• Two semi-finals between the unseeded teams.

• The winners of those semis will each face one of the seeded teams in a “final” match.

All matches will be single-leg. If tied after 90 minutes, games will go to extra time and then penalties if needed. These play-off matches are scheduled to take place between 23 and 31 March 2026, and will be held in Mexico (Monterrey and Guadalajara).

World Cup 26 Intercontinental Play-offs Draw and Fixtures

Iraq vs New Caledonia/Jamaica

• Path 1 (“Bracket 1”):

  • Semi-final: New Caledonia vs Jamaica

  • Final: Winner of that match vs Iraq (seeded)

    
    

DR Congo vs Bolivia/Suriname

• Path 2 (“Bracket 2”):

  • Semi-final: Bolivia vs Suriname

  • Final: Winner vs DR Congo (seeded)

    
    

Significance of the Draw

• The intercontinental play-off tournament is a high-stakes “last chance” for teams that just missed out in their confederation qualifiers.

• For DR Congo, having won the CAF play-off, participation here gives them an opportunity to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in decades.

• Iraq, by securing their spot via their Asian qualifying play-off, will also be competing for a rare return to World Cup football.

• The format rewards ranking where the two top-ranked teams skip an initial match and go directly to “finals” in their bracket.

  
  

What’s Next?

The six teams will meet in the March 2026 international window where the two winners of their respective final matches will earn the last two tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Once the World Cup 26 Intercontinental Play-offs Draw and Fixtures are complete, the full 48-team field for the World Cup will be confirmed.