Italy is set to face Northern Ireland in a World Cup qualifying playoff in March. The winner of this match will then travel to play against either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina to secure a spot in the first 48-team finals tournament in North America.
Having not participated in a World Cup since 2014, Italy secured a spot in the playoffs by finishing as the runner-up in a qualifying group topped by Norway. Other European playoff matchups include Ukraine hosting Sweden, with the victor facing Poland or Albania, and Kosovo facing Slovakia before hosting Turkey or Romania in their quest for a World Cup debut.
Ireland’s impressive victories over Portugal and Hungary have earned them a playoff semifinal against the Czech Republic. The winner of this match will then host Denmark or North Macedonia in the playoffs.
FIFA has also conducted the draw for the six-nation intercontinental playoffs excluding Europe. Iraq, seeded in the draw, will have to defeat either Bolivia or Suriname in a one-game playoff to secure a place in the finals tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Congo, the other seeded team in the intercontinental playoffs, will face the winner of a single-game semifinal between New Caledonia and Jamaica.
The intercontinental playoff matches will take place in Mexico from March 23-31, with stadiums in Guadalajara and Monterrey hosting the games. A total of six teams will progress from these playoffs in March to complete the 48-nation lineup for the World Cup.
The World Cup draw is scheduled for December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Six unconfirmed playoff teams will be drawn as placeholders during the event, likely coming from the pot of lowest-ranked teams in the seeded draw.
Iraq’s dramatic 17th-minute stoppage-time penalty against the United Arab Emirates secured their place in the global playoffs. Iraq’s previous and only World Cup appearance was in 1986. New Caledonia, ranking lowest at 149 among the 211 FIFA member countries, advanced to the playoffs by defeating Tahiti before losing to New Zealand in the Oceania qualifying final.