Today the final matches of the group stage of the 2025 World Cup qualifying tournament will be played. As a result of these matches, the final five direct tickets from Europe to the World Cup will be awarded, and the final list of 16 playoff participants, who will compete for 4 more tickets, will be formed.
The playoffs will feature 12 teams that finish second in their groups in the 2026 World Cup qualifying tournament, as well as 4 best group winners from the Nations League 2024/25 who did not take first or second place in their 2026 World Cup qualifying group.
The playoffs will consist of four paths with four teams each. In each «quartet,» semifinals and a final will be held, and the winner will qualify for the World Cup.
Before the playoff draw, participants of this stage will be distributed into 4 groups of 4 teams each. The first three groups, according to the current FIFA ranking for national teams, will include 12 teams that reached the playoffs from second places in the 2026 World Cup qualifying groups. The fourth group is reserved for the representatives of the Nations League.
Groups 1 and 2 will be «seeded.» Teams from Group 1 will play with teams from Group 4, and teams from Group 2 will play with teams from Group 3.
According to the current standings in the 2026 World Cup qualifying groups, the composition of the playoff draw groups is as follows (* — teams not yet guaranteed to be in the playoffs).
Group 1
Italy
Turkey
UKRAINE
Poland
Group 2
*North Macedonia
Slovakia
*Scotland
Czech Republic
Group 3
Ireland
Albania
*Bosnia and Herzegovina
*Kosovo
Group 4
Wales
Romania
Sweden
Northern Ireland.
Additionally, the playoff draw for the 2026 World Cup qualifying tournament will take place this Thursday, November 20 (starting at 14:00 Kyiv time).
