UEFA has announced the format for the European qualification and final stage of the 2028 FIFA World Cup Indoor Football Tournament, which will take place from October 7 to 29, 2028.

According to official UEFA information, seven European national teams will participate in the final stage of the 2028 World Cup Indoor Football Tournament, where 24 teams will compete. The tournament will take place from October 7 to 29, 2028. The venue has yet to be determined. The European qualification period will run from April 2026 to April 2028. The qualifying tournament will be divided into five stages: a preliminary round (mini-tournaments), group stage of the main round (home and away matches, three teams per group), knockout matches in the main round (home and away), group stage of the elite round (home and away matches, four teams per group) and knockout matches in the elite round (home and away).

Seven European national teams will participate in the World Cup, but if the final stage is awarded to one of UEFA's national associations, its team will receive a direct entry, and only six European teams will qualify through the qualification results.

The draw for the preliminary round will take place on December 12. Teams with the lowest coefficients among European national teams will start in this stage, while the rest will begin from the group stage of the main round. The number of participants in the preliminary round will depend on the total number of tournament participants. The number of participants in the preliminary round will depend on the overall number of tournament participants.

UEFA 2028 World Cup Indoor Football Tournament Qualification Calendar

Preliminary round draw: December 12, 2025.

Preliminary round: April 6–15, 2026.

Main round group stage draw: May 19, 2026.

Main round group stage: October 12–21, 2026, November 2–11, 2026, December 6–9, 2026, February 22–March 3, 2027.

Main round knockout draw: March 5, 2027.

Main round knockout matches: April 12–21, 2027.

Elite round group stage draw: May 20, 2027.

Elite round group stage: September 6–15, 2027, October 11–20, 2027, December 13–22, 2027.

Elite round knockout draw: January 20, 2028.

Elite round knockout matches: April 10–19, 2028.

Format of the European Qualification

Preliminary round

Teams will be divided into groups of four (the number of groups will depend on the number of participants) and play mini-tournaments. The winners of the groups, along with some runners-up (depending on the number of tournament participants), will advance to the main round.

Main Round

Group stage

Thirty-six teams, including the best participants from the preliminary round, will be divided into 12 groups of three teams each, which will play home and away matches. The winners of the 12 groups and four best runners-up will directly advance to the elite round. The other eight runners-up will play in knockout matches.

Knockout Matches

Eight teams will be divided into four pairs through a draw. The teams will play one home and one away match each. Winners of the pairs will join the list of elite round participants.

Elite Round

Group stage

Twenty teams will be divided into five groups of four teams each, which will play home and away matches. The winners of the groups will advance to the final stage. The four best runners-up will play in knockout matches. If the tournament host is a UEFA national association, only two of the best runners-up will participate in the knockout matches.

Knockout Matches

Four teams will be divided into two pairs through a draw. Winners of the pairs will join the list of final stage participants. If there is only one pair, its winner will qualify for the World Cup.