Overview
- Germany and the Netherlands clinched direct places on Nov. 17, taking the total of confirmed teams to 39 ahead of the Dec. 5 group draw in Washington, D.C.
- UEFA’s remaining group winners are being decided Tuesday, with Europe’s last four places to be awarded via a playoff rather than group play.
- UEFA’s playoff involves 16 teams drawn into four single-match paths; the draw is Nov. 20 in Zurich, with semifinals on Mar. 26 and finals on Mar. 31, 2026.
- FIFA’s six-team intercontinental playoff draw is also Nov. 20; confirmed entrants are Bolivia, RD Congo, New Caledonia and Iraq, with two Concacaf runners-up to complete the field for late March 2026.
- Concacaf’s three direct berths will be determined Tuesday across Groups A–C, including Jamaica vs. Curaçao, Panama vs. El Salvador, Guatemala vs. Suriname, Costa Rica vs. Honduras and Haiti vs. Nicaragua; the United States, Mexico and Canada are already qualified as hosts.