The road to the 2026 World Cup is getting exciting. Italy will play Northern Ireland first, and the winner will then face either Wales or Bosnia & Herzegovina. Meanwhile, the Republic of Ireland will travel to the Czech Republic and then host the winners of Denmark's match against North Macedonia.

Jamaica is also in the mix, starting with a game against New Caledonia. If they win, they'll face DR Congo. Iraq is in a similar situation, waiting to see who comes out on top between Bolivia and Suriname.

The European play-offs are structured in four paths. Each path has a semi-final and a final. The winners of each path will secure their spot in the World Cup. These matches are scheduled for March 26 and 31.

Europe has the most spots in the World Cup, and this time, 16 teams will qualify. Twelve teams qualified directly as group winners, while the runners-up and some Nations League winners got a chance to play in the play-offs.

The inter-confederation play-offs are a bit different. Two teams, DR Congo and Iraq, are already in the finals. The other teams, Jamaica, Suriname, Bolivia, and New Caledonia, will play semi-finals first. The winners of these semi-finals will then face DR Congo and Iraq.

The play-offs will be held in March in Mexico. This is a big deal because only two more teams will get to join the World Cup from these matches.

QUALIFICATION PATHS

World Cup 2026: Who's Playing Who in the Play-offs?

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