The draw for the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) 2026 World Cup qualification play-off stage was held in Zurich. This draw determined the last chances for European teams to participate in the tournament.
Redaksiya reports that 12 group winners, including Germany, Switzerland, Scotland, France, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Austria, Norway, Belgium, England, and Croatia, have already qualified for the tournament to be held next summer in North America. This means that four more spots remain open for UEFA.
Teams that finished second in their groups and four Nations League winners will compete in one-legged semi-finals before advancing to the play-off final to determine the final UEFA representatives. The draw results are as follows: Italy/Northern Ireland – Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine/Sweden – Poland/Albania, Turkey/Romania – Slovakia/Kosovo, Denmark/North Macedonia – Czech Republic/Republic of Ireland. These matches will take place at the end of March 2026.