Teams in World Cup Playoff and Their Potential 2026 Group Stage Placements Explained

The World Cup 2026 draw will take place with six spots still undecided among the 48 total tournament berths. Four of these spots come from the UEFA playoffs, while two will be decided through the intercontinental playoffs scheduled for March.

FIFA has assigned these six potential qualifiers the labels UEFA A, UEFA B, UEFA C, UEFA D, FIFA 1, and FIFA 2, placing them all in Pot 4 during the draw. Each label corresponds to the winner of a specific playoff bracket.

UEFA Playoff Participants and Assignments

1. UEFA A: The winner will emerge from Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, or Bosnia.
2. UEFA B: This spot is contested by Poland, Albania, Ukraine, and Sweden.
3. UEFA C: Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo fight for this position.
4. UEFA D: Denmark, North Macedonia, Ireland, and the Czech Republic compete here.

These UEFA playoffs consist of four-team mini-tournaments, where group winners advance to claim these designations.

Intercontinental Playoff Pathways

1. FIFA 1: This slot is up for grabs between DR Congo, New Caledonia, and Jamaica.
2. FIFA 2: Iraq, Bolivia, and Suriname contest this final playoff.

The intercontinental playoffs will decide the final two qualifiers for the World Cup, adding global diversity to the tournament.

According to FIFA’s official announcement, all six winners will be slotted into the tournament draw’s Pot 4, which groups lower-seeded teams. This placement will influence their group opponents once the final groups are drawn.

With the playoffs taking place shortly before the World Cup draw, the identities of these six teams remain uncertain. The labels UEFA A to D and FIFA 1 and 2 will serve as placeholders to maintain the draw schedule. Fans can expect exciting matches ahead as these nations vie for the last precious spots at the World Cup.