Six spots remain up for grabs at the 2026 World Cup, with four to emerge from Europe and a further two from an intercontinental playoff. What's the draw, and who will advance? We make our picks.

LéopardsFollowing Thursday's draw ceremony, the matchups for the 2026 World Cup playoffs set for next March have been unveiled.After a double draw held at FIFA headquarters in Zurich on Thursday,

The actual World Cup draw will take place on Dec. 5 before these UEFA matches, so the teams will know what World Cup group they're trying to land a spot in. The four UEFA playoff berths will be in Pot 4 of the World Cup draw, which could potentially lead to a "Group of Death."

The fate of 48 national teams will be revealed at 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 5 as the official 2026 World Cup draw takes place at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. This landmark event will chart the journey toward the biggest tournament in football history, hosted next summer across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Italy will first host Northern Ireland in a World Cup qualifying playoff in March but then would go on the road to reach its first tournament after back-to-back failures at this stage.

Mexico might have struggled since their Concacaf Gold Cup win over the summer, but excitement remains palpable for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. El Tri are one of the three hosts for next summer’s tournament alongside the United States and Canada, the third time they will have hosted the competition in its near 100-year history.

FIFA Play-Off Tournament — how it works, who qualifies, seeding, format, schedule and other key points you should know.

When FIFA boss Gianni Infantino visited Mexico City more than three years ago, the Azteca Stadium owner assured him that renovations for the 2026 World Cup wouldn't change the stadium's soul.

President Donald Trump has again floated the idea that the U.S. should move games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup out of some Democratic-led cities, citing poor leadership and safety concerns.

Explaining the 2026 World Cup draw, including how the seedings and pots work and which teams have already qualified.