International football is finished for the year as the final stages of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying provided another bout of drama.
All but six of the 48 nations competing at next summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico have been confirmed, with the remaining participants decided by the all-important playoffs next March.
A total of 22 teams from all six confederations are battling it out for those final half-dozen spots. Four of those qualifiers will come from the 16-team UEFA playoffs with the remaining two emerging from an eclectic slice of international teams.
The draw to determine the matchups for these playoffs will be crucial to deciding the final makeup of World Cup participants. Here is everything you need to know about this intriguing process.






