Teams Still in Playoff Hunt for World Cup Qualification

Six teams will compete in the interconfederation playoffs, a tournament that will determine two of the last six teams to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The FIFA Playoff Tournament is scheduled to take place this week, with the four lowest-ranked nations - Bolivia, New Caledonia, Jamaica, and Suriname - competing in separate semifinals.

The winners of these games will advance to a final against one of the two highest-ranked teams, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) or Iraq. The DRC and Iraq are considered favorites to enter the World Cup based on their FIFA rankings and team strength.

Mexico will host the games in Guadalajara and Monterrey, which will also serve as FIFA World Cup host cities. The tournament is part of a larger competition that will see 48 nations play in three countries over five weeks. The final matches are scheduled to take place at Mexico City Stadium on June 11 and MetLife Stadium (also known as the New York New Jersey Stadium) on July 19.

The four teams competing in the interconfederation playoffs have been selected based on their performance in regional qualification rounds. The tournament will feature two separate pathways, with Pathway 1 featuring New Caledonia vs Jamaica on Thursday, and Pathway 2 featuring Bolivia vs Suriname on Friday.

Source: Al Jazeera