Overview
- UEFA confirmed a 16-team playoff for four European spots with the draw in Zurich on November 20 at 13:00 CET.
- Single-leg semifinals and finals will be played on March 26 and March 31 across four paths (A–D) with seeded hosts and a rule keeping Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina apart.
- Italy is seeded in Pot 1 and will host a semifinal, likely in Bergamo, against one of North Macedonia, Romania, Sweden or Northern Ireland.
- The intercontinental playoff will take place in Mexico in March with Jamaica, Suriname, Bolivia and New Caledonia starting in semifinals and Iraq and DR Congo entering the finals based on ranking.
- The 42 direct qualifiers span all six confederations, including first-time entrants such as Uzbekistan, Curaçao and Cape Verde, while two intercontinental winners and four European playoff winners will complete the field.