6 teams in the intercontinental World Cup play-off

The race for the final tickets to the 2026 World Cup has officially begun as six teams from five continents have been confirmed to participate in the intercontinental play-off round.

Jamaica (yellow shirt) had to enter a do-or-die play-off series when they finished below Curacao in the CONCACAF region.

According to FIFA's format, the Intercontinental World Cup play-off round consists of 6 teams divided into 2 groups of 3 teams each. The two top-seeded teams go straight to the final, while the remaining 4 teams will be drawn to play in the semi-finals. The winner of each group's final will win one of the last two tickets to the 2026 World Cup.

Iraq (Asia - AFC) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (CAF - Africa) are the two highest FIFA-ranked teams in the intercontinental play-off round. They are seeded in Pot 1, thereby qualifying directly for the finals of the two groups.

The remaining four teams, including Jamaica, Suriname (North, Central America and the Caribbean - CONCACAF), Bolivia (South America - CONMEBOL) and New Caledonia (Oceania - OFC), are waiting for the draw to determine the two semi-final pairs.

The Intercontinental Play-offs will be held in Mexico in March 2026, less than three months before the World Cup kicks off. Matches will be played over one leg, with extra time and penalties in case of a draw. FIFA also stipulates that the two CONCACAF teams must separate to avoid a regional civil war.

The draw will take place on November 20, 2025 in Zurich. Iraq and the Democratic Republic of Congo are considered the strongest candidates for the two places to advance. However, in single-leg knockout matches, anything can happen, especially with representatives like Jamaica or Bolivia, who are famous for their physical and fast playing style.

Source: https://znews.vn/6-doi-du-play-off-world-cup-lien-luc-dia-post1604014.html