How do World Cup playoffs work? Explaining format, pathway for teams and more for UEFA, intercontinental versions
How do World Cup playoffs work? Explaining format, pathway for teams and more for UEFA, intercontinental versions originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
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Where are the games staged? Which teams have qualified for the playoffs? Where were the playoff winners drawn to at the World Cup?
History of the World Cup playoffs As countries all around the world hope to be amongst the 48 nations participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the final spots in the tournament field are being filled. Now that the World Cup draw has been completed and 42 of the 48 nations have cemented their places at the final tournament, there are just the six playoff participants yet to be determined to fill out the field. Those places will be filled by the UEFA and intercontinental playoffs, which take place just three months before the World Cup commences in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The Sporting News details all you need to know about the playoffs, including who will participate, how they qualified, and the format by which the competition will be contested. 2026 WORLD CUP HQ: Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Buy World Cup tickets What are the World Cup playoffs? The World Cup playoffs are two mini-tournaments that offer certain teams another route into the finals if they failed to qualify automatically.
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