2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (inter-confederation play-offs)
Updated: 12/20/2025, 3:08:33 PM Wikipedia source
The inter-confederation play-offs of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification tournament (officially named the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament) will determine two qualification spots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be played in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The play-offs will take place on 26 and 31 March 2026 at two venues in Mexico.
Infobox
Host country
Mexico
Dates
26–31 March 2026
Teams
6 (from 5 confederations)
Venue
2 (in 2 host cities)
Tables
· Venues
Estadio BBVA(Estadio Monterrey)
Estadio BBVA(Estadio Monterrey)
Guadalupe(Monterrey area)
Estadio BBVA(Estadio Monterrey)
Zapopan(Guadalajara area)
Estadio Akron(Estadio Guadalajara)
Capacity: 53,529
Capacity: 53,529
Guadalupe(Monterrey area)
Capacity: 53,529
Zapopan(Guadalajara area)
Capacity: 46,232
| Guadalupe(Monterrey area) | Zapopan(Guadalajara area) |
| Estadio BBVA(Estadio Monterrey) | Estadio Akron(Estadio Guadalajara) |
| Capacity: 53,529 | Capacity: 46,232 |
| | |
· Qualified teams
AFC
AFC
Confederation
AFC
Method of qualification
Fifth round winner
Team
Iraq
Date advanced to play-offs
18 November 2025
CAF
CAF
Confederation
CAF
Method of qualification
Second round winner
Team
DR Congo
Date advanced to play-offs
16 November 2025
CONCACAF
CONCACAF
Confederation
CONCACAF
Method of qualification
Third round best two group runners-up
Team
Jamaica
Date advanced to play-offs
18 November 2025
Suriname
Suriname
Confederation
Suriname
CONMEBOL
CONMEBOL
Confederation
CONMEBOL
Method of qualification
Seventh place
Team
Bolivia
Date advanced to play-offs
9 September 2025
OFC
OFC
Confederation
OFC
Method of qualification
Third round runners-up
Team
New Caledonia
Date advanced to play-offs
24 March 2025
| Confederation | Method of qualification | Team | Date advanced to play-offs |
| AFC | Fifth round winner | Iraq | 18 November 2025 |
| CAF | Second round winner | DR Congo | 16 November 2025 |
| CONCACAF | Third round best two group runners-up | Jamaica | 18 November 2025 |
| Suriname | |||
| CONMEBOL | Seventh place | Bolivia | 9 September 2025 |
| OFC | Third round runners-up | New Caledonia | 24 March 2025 |
· Draw
DR Congo (56) (final 1) Iraq (58) (final 2)
DR Congo (56) (final 1) Iraq (58) (final 2)
Seeded
DR Congo (56) (final 1) Iraq (58) (final 2)
Unseeded
Jamaica (70) Bolivia (76) Suriname (123) New Caledonia (149)
| Seeded | Unseeded |
| DR Congo (56) (final 1) Iraq (58) (final 2) | Jamaica (70) Bolivia (76) Suriname (123) New Caledonia (149) |
· Discipline
Jamaica
Jamaica
Team
Jamaica
Player
Ian Fray
Offence(s)
vs Curaçao (10 October 2025) vs Curaçao (18 November 2025)
Suspended for match(es)
vs New Caledonia (26 March 2026)
Jon Russell
Jon Russell
Team
Jon Russell
Player
vs Curaçao (18 November 2025)
Offence(s)
vs New Caledonia (26 March 2026)
New Caledonia
New Caledonia
Team
New Caledonia
Player
Pierre Bako
Offence(s)
vs Tahiti (21 March 2025) vs New Zealand (24 March 2025)
Suspended for match(es)
vs Jamaica (26 March 2026)
Suriname
Suriname
Team
Suriname
Player
Kenneth Paal
Offence(s)
vs El Salvador (13 November 2025) vs Guatemala (18 November 2025)
Suspended for match(es)
vs Bolivia (26 March 2026)
| Team | Player | Offence(s) | Suspended for match(es) |
| Jamaica | Ian Fray | vs Curaçao (10 October 2025) vs Curaçao (18 November 2025) | vs New Caledonia (26 March 2026) |
| Jon Russell | vs Curaçao (18 November 2025) | vs New Caledonia (26 March 2026) | |
| New Caledonia | Pierre Bako | vs Tahiti (21 March 2025) vs New Zealand (24 March 2025) | vs Jamaica (26 March 2026) |
| Suriname | Kenneth Paal | vs El Salvador (13 November 2025) vs Guatemala (18 November 2025) | vs Bolivia (26 March 2026) |
References
- "FIFA Play-Off Tournament: Everything you need to know"https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/play-off-tournament-teams-qualifying-dates-tickets-matches-format
- "Mexican cities of Guadalajara and Monterrey to host FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament"https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/media-releases/mexico-guadalajara-monterrey-world-cup-2026-play-off-tournament
- "Bureau of the Council recommends slot allocation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup"https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/organisation/media-releases/bureau-of-the-council-recommends-slot-allocation-for-the-2026-fifa-wor-2878254
- "FIFA Council prepares Congress, takes key decisions for the future of the FIFA World Cup"https://web.archive.org/web/20170618072825/http://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/news/y%3D2017/m%3D5/news%3Dfifa-council-prepares-congress-takes-key-decisions-for-the-future-of-t-2883353.html
- "FIFA World Cup 26 qualifying: All you need to know"https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/road-to-world-cup-26-qualifiers-usa-canada-mexico
- ESPN.comhttps://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/46050685/2026-world-cup-draw-kennedy-center-washington-dc
- "Men's International Match Calendar 2023–2030"https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/3123d37097318f7f/original/Men-s-International-Match-Calendar-2023-2030_EN.pdf
- "Regulations: FIFA World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition"https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/18d857c3ec3e64f8/original/FIFA-World-Cup-2026-Preliminary-Competition_EN.pdf
- "Stadiums renamed for Fifa sponsors"https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4773843.stm
- "FIFA headquarters to host FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament and European Play-Off draws"https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/media-releases/world-cup-26-play-off-tournament-uefa-draws-details
- "FIFA Men's World Ranking: 19 November 2025"https://inside.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/men?dateId=id14933
- "Draw Procedures for the FIFA World Cup 26 Play-Off Tournament"https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/463d0e335671d6d3/original/Draw-procedures-for-the-FIFA-World-Cup-26-Play-Off-Tournament.pdf
- "FIFA Legends Karembeu, Materazzi and Dahlin named as assistants for FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament and European play-off draws"https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/news/materazzi-karembeu-dahlin-world-cup-2026-play-off-european-draws
- "Match schedule for FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament confirmed"https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/news/match-schedule-world-cup-2026-play-off-tournament-fixtures
- "FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament match schedule"https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/573f834ad1e2dfc4/original/FIFA-World-Cup-2026-Play-Off-Tournament-match-schedule.pdf