The 12 runners-up from the qualifiers and four teams from the Nations League
The 12 runners-up from the qualifiers and four teams from the Nations League
The UEFA qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup have been completed, and the leaders of the 12 groups have already secured direct qualification to the tournament finals in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
At the same time, four European spots remain, which will be contested by the 12 teams that finished second in their qualifying groups, along with four additional teams from the Nations League. These four teams finished first in their Nations League groups but did not place in the top two of their qualifying groups.
The 16 teams have been divided into four seeding pots for the playoffs:
• Pot 1: Italy, Denmark, Turkey, Ukraine
• Pot 2: Poland, Wales, Czech Republic, Slovakia
• Pot 3: Ireland, Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo
• Pot 4: Sweden, Romania, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland
The 12 runners-up were placed in the first three seeding pots based on the FIFA ranking, while the four Nations League teams were placed in Pot 4.
The matches resulting from Tuesday’s draw will be single-leg knockout ties, with semifinals and finals, and the winners of each Path will secure the coveted qualification for the 2026 World Cup, completing Europe’s representation at football’s biggest stage.
