"Open Football Festivals" were held in Nevytske in Zakarpattia
CS-2026 Qualifiers. In the semi-finals, Ukraine's national team will play against Sweden's team
Today, on November 20 in Switzerland, the draw for the playoff qualification of the 2026 World Cup involving the Ukraine national team took place.
Photo from fifa.com
According to the results of the European qualifiers for the World Cup and Nations League, 16 playoff participants were determined. The teams were divided into four pots. For Pots 1, 2, and 3, the FIFA ranking as of November 19 was taken into account; the group winners from the Nations League occupied places in Pot 4.
Pot 1: Italy, Denmark, Turkey, Ukraine.
Pot 2: Poland, Wales, Czech Republic, Slovakia.
Pot 3: Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo.
Pot 4: Sweden, Romania, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland.
Based on the draw results, Ukrainians will take Path B, where they will face Sweden at home in the semifinals on March 26. In case of success in this match, Ukraine's national team will compete for a World Cup spot against Poland or Albania in the final on March 31.
World Cup-2026 Qualifiers. Europe
Path A
Semifinals
March 26, 2026
Italy — Northern Ireland
Wales — Bosnia and Herzegovina
Final
March 31, 2026
Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina — Italy/Northern Ireland
Path B
Semifinals
March 26, 2026
Ukraine — Sweden
Poland — Albania
Final
March 31, 2026
Ukraine/Sweden — Poland/Albania
Path C
Semifinals
March 26, 2026
Turkey — Romania
Slovakia — Kosovo
Final
March 31, 2026
Slovakia/Kosovo — Turkey/Romania
Path D
Semifinals
March 26, 2026
Denmark — North Macedonia
Czech Republic — Ireland
Final
March 31, 2026
Czech Republic/Ireland — Denmark/North Macedonia
Intercontinental Playoffs
Semifinals
March 26, 2026
New Caledonia — Jamaica
Bolivia — Suriname
Finals
March 31, 2026
New Caledonia/Jamaica — DR Congo
Bolivia/Suriname — Iraq
Photo fifa.com
World Cup-2026. Final Tournament
After the November international window, 42 participants in the World Cup are known.
— Hosts: USA, Canada, Mexico.
— Europe: England, France, Croatia, Portugal, Norway, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Scotland.
— South America: Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia.
— Asia: Japan, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, Australia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia.
— Africa: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, PDR Congo, Senegal, Ivory Coast.
— CONCACAF: Panama, Curaçao, Haiti.
— Oceania: New Zealand.
The last six participants in the World Cup will be determined by the results of matches in March 2026: six national teams competing in the intercontinental playoffs will fight for two spots, and another four spots will be decided in the European playoff involving 16 teams.
The World Cup-2026 is the first tournament in history to feature 48 participating nations. There will be 12 groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group and eight best third-placed teams will advance to the round of 32.
Matches for the 23rd World Cup will take place in 16 cities. These are Toronto and Vancouver in Canada, Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey in Mexico, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle in the USA.
The opening match of the World Cup will take place on June 11, 2026, in Mexico City, while the final will be held in New York on July 19.
The draw for the final tournament will take place on December 5.
