A quick guide to the intercontinental playoff that will decide two of the final six places at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

After long regional qualifying campaigns, six nations get one last chance to reach the expanded 48-team World Cup. The FIFA Playoff Tournament will produce two qualifiers for the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States this summer.

Which teams are in the intercontinental playoffs?

  • Iraq
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
  • Bolivia
  • New Caledonia
  • Jamaica
  • Suriname

How the playoff tournament works

The four lowest-ranked sides — Bolivia, New Caledonia, Jamaica and Suriname — meet in two single-match semifinals. The winners of those games then face one of the two highest-ranked teams, the DRC and Iraq, in single-match finals. The two winners of those finals qualify for the World Cup.

Schedule (all times in GMT)

Pathway 1: New Caledonia vs Jamaica, Thursday at 22:00 GMT. The winner plays the DRC.

Pathway 2: Bolivia vs Suriname, Friday at 03:00 GMT. The winner plays Iraq.

Final 1: DRC vs TBD, Tuesday at 21:00 GMT.

Final 2: Iraq vs TBD, Wednesday at 03:00 GMT.

Where will the playoff games be played?

Mexico will host the tournament, with games in Guadalajara and Monterrey. Both cities are also among the host locations for the World Cup itself.

Who are the favourites?

Based on rankings and recent form, the DRC and Iraq arrive as the pre-set favourites. Iraq are chasing only their second ever World Cup appearance, having previously qualified in 1986. Their preparations have been affected by regional tensions, but they remain a strong contender.

The DRC sit inside the top 50 in the FIFA rankings and are ninth among African nations. Their last World Cup appearance was in 1974 when they competed as Zaire. They also had a solid regional qualifying run against strong African opposition.

Key World Cup dates and venues

Opening match: Mexico vs South Africa, 11 June at 3pm (21:00 GMT) at Mexico City Stadium.

Final: MetLife Stadium (branded as New York New Jersey Stadium for the tournament) on 19 July at 3pm (20:00 GMT).

Group stage lineups (current picture)

Group A:

  • Mexico
  • South Korea
  • South Africa
  • Denmark/Macedonia/Czech Republic/Ireland

Group B:

  • Canada
  • Switzerland
  • Qatar
  • Italy/Northern Ireland/Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina

Group C:

  • Brazil
  • Morocco
  • Scotland
  • Haiti

Group D:

  • US
  • Australia
  • Paraguay
  • Turkiye/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo

Group E:

  • Germany
  • Ecuador
  • Ivory Coast
  • Curacao

Group F:

  • Netherlands
  • Japan
  • Tunisia
  • Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania

Group G:

  • Belgium
  • Iran
  • Egypt
  • New Zealand

Group H:

  • Spain
  • Uruguay
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Cape Verde

Group I:

  • France
  • Senegal
  • Norway
  • Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname

Group J:

  • Argentina
  • Austria
  • Algeria
  • Jordan

Group K:

  • Portugal
  • Colombia
  • Uzbekistan
  • DRC/Jamaica/New Caledonia

Group L:

  • England
  • Croatia
  • Panama
  • Ghana

The playoff week is short and decisive. Two single matches will end a long qualifying process for four nations, and two teams will celebrate a ticket to North America. Expect tight games, and maybe a few surprises.