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FIFA has quite strict rules regarding match pairings to prevent conflicts. |
Europe is preparing to determine the remaining tickets to the biggest tournament on the planet, taking place in the US, Mexico, and Canada in the summer of 2026. A total of 16 European teams will participate, with 12 teams that topped their qualifying groups securing direct qualification, and the remaining 4 spots to be determined through the play-offs.
The European play-offs will consist of the 12 teams that finished second in their qualifying groups, along with the four Nations League winners who did not qualify directly. The draw for the play-off brackets will take place on November 20th in Zurich, Switzerland, to determine the pairings.
Bosnia & Herzegovina are guaranteed a place in the play-offs, but still have a chance to qualify directly if they win their final match against Austria on the morning of November 19th. Meanwhile, Kosovo have also secured a spot in the play-offs before their match against Switzerland. In theory, Kosovo could beat Switzerland, but with a goal difference of +11 behind their opponent, direct qualification is unlikely.
In the event that Bosnia & Herzegovina and Kosovo both participate in the play-off round, FIFA and UEFA have confirmed that the two teams cannot be in the same bracket. This decision has been maintained since the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, as UEFA is concerned about security and ensuring the safety of the matches.
UEFA also announced other banned matches in the tournaments, including Kosovo vs. Serbia, Ukraine vs. Belarus, and Gibraltar vs. Spain.
The European play-off round features 16 teams divided into 4 brackets, competing in a semi-final and single-match final format to select the 4 teams that will ultimately qualify for the World Cup.
Source: https://znews.vn/cap-dau-bi-fifa-cam-o-vong-play-off-world-cup-chau-au-post1603893.html
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