UEFA held the draw for the European playoff path to the 2026 World Cup, where 16 national teams will compete for the last four spots available for the continent. The teams were organized into four routes, each featuring single-match semi-finals and finals. The semi-finals will take place on March 26, and the finals on March 31, 2026. The teams that finished second in their qualifying groups were placed in the first three pots of the draw, while the four teams from the UEFA Nations League completed the bracket. In Path A, Italy will face Northern Ireland, and Wales will play against Bosnia and Herzegovina—the winner of this match will be at home in the final. In Path B, Ukraine will play against Sweden, which will also have home advantage if it advances to the final, while Poland will face Albania. Path C will feature Turkey against Romania and Slovakia against Kosovo, with Kosovo having home advantage in the final if they advance. Finally, in Path D, Denmark will seek their spot against North Macedonia, while the Czech Republic will face Ireland, who were drawn as the potential home team in the final.
